Methods and apparatus for supporting use of multiple beams for communications purposes

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatus for facilitating the use of a plurality of antenna beams for communications purposes are described. In at least some embodiments beam priority information is periodically exchanged. Multiple timers are used to ensure beam information is exchanged at intervals intended to facilitate reliable beam synchronization and to control switching to one or more alternative beams in a predictable manner in the event beam change information or beam synchronization information is lost. In some but not all embodiments a wideband beam is used to communicate beam synchronization information when synchronization using narrower beams used for normal data communication is lost.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/839,351 filed Dec. 12, 2017 which was Published on Jun. 13,2019 as Publication No.: US-2019-0182093-A 1 and which is herebyexpressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present application relates to communications system, and moreparticularly, to methods and apparatus supporting communications systemswhich allows for multiple antennal beam patterns.

BACKGROUND

Beam forming offers the ability for a transmitter to more efficientlyuse the power available to it by concentrating the power in a beamrather than transmitting using an omni-directional antenna. The use ofbeams also have the potential advantage of reducing interference todevices which are not the intended recipient in a geographic location byreducing the coverage area into which transmissions are directed.

In order to take advantage of the potential advantages of beams, atransmitter device normally supports one or more beam patterns andchooses to use a beam pattern which is believed to be likely to providea good communications channel for communicating with an intendedtransmission recipient.

The decision as to which beam to use to transmit to a target recipientmay, and often does, rely on some form of communication from the targetrecipient which helps the transmitter device decide on what beam to useat a given time. The target device may then monitor for signals on thebeam on which it expects to receive signals with other devicespotentially being transmitted to using different beams.

Base stations are particularly well suited for using beam formingtechniques to form different beams and to transmit on such beams. Onereason beam forming approaches work well with base stations is becausebase stations often have multiple antenna elements which are spacedphysically apart from one another or oriented in different directionswhich facilitates beam forming as compared to cases where antennaelements are physically close to each other which is more likely to bethe case on user equipment devices such as cell phones which may be, andoften are, handheld devices.

Beam forming solutions are expected to be more commonplace in pre-NR andmore so on NR solutions for both mobility and fixed wirelessapplications.

The triggers for changes in the beam could be a multitude ofreasons—ranging from mobility, to the environmental impact on specificfrequencies being used. Such changes in the serving beam could be in theorder of 100s of micro seconds to tens of milliseconds.

A problem with beam forming is that the transmitting device andreceiving, e.g., target device to which a transmission is sent, may havea different understanding as to which beam will be used for thetransmission to the receiving device. Such a miss-understanding may bethe result of the transmitting device failing to receive a signal fromthe receiving device indicating that a change to anther beam is to bemade, switching by the transmitter and/or receiver in a manner that isnot synchronized between the transmitter and receiver, e.g., due to thebeam which was being used to communicate being blocked or subject tointerference, or for other reasons.

While devices which lose a radio connection due to a miss-understandingat the beam to be used or for other reasons, may trigger a radioconnection reestablishment procedure, radio connection reestablishmentis often a relatively time consuming processes and may result in thetemporary loss of service while the reconnection process takes places.Thus it is desirable if methods could be developed which can support useof beams while minimizing or reducing the risk of having to go through aradio connection re-establishment process when the beam in use is nolonger viable or a miss-understanding as to what beam is to be usedoccurs due to a lost beam change message.

SUMMARY

The methods and apparatus of the present invention are well suited foruse in systems where one or more devices, e.g., bases stations and/oruser equipment devices (UEs) support an active antenna system whichallows for one or more antenna beam patterns to be supported withdifferent beams being used to transmit to the same or different devices,e.g., at the same or different times. While active antenna systems whichsupport beam forming, maybe and often are used in base stations, theycan also be used in user equipment devices (UEs) such as cell phones,customer premises equipment (CPE) devices, vehicles, laptops withwireless capability, etc. Thus it should be appreciated that beamforming methods and apparatus in accordance with the present inventioncan be used on various wireless communications devices whether they bebase stations or UE devices.

In various embodiments a second communications devices, e.g., a userequipment device, measures signals, e.g., pilot or other signalstransmitted by a first communications device, e.g., a base station,which supports the use of multiple different beams, e.g., antenna beams,for transmission purposes. The signals in some cases transmitted by thebase station are pilot signals or other signals transmitted at a knownpower level. The transmitted signal may, and sometimes does, include abeam ID or is transmitted in association with a signal indicating thebeam to which the pilot signal corresponds, e.g., at a predeterminedtime following transmission of the beam identifier signal so that adevice receiving the pilot knows the beam to which the pilotcorresponds. The second communications device measures the receivedsignals corresponding to different beams and ranks the beams, e.g.,based on received signal strength and/or other information includinginterference information which can be used to determine an such SNRratio for each beam and/or other channel quality information. Based onthe determined channel quality information, e.g., RSSI and/or SNR, thedifferent transmit beams for which signals are detected by the secondcommunications device are ranked. In some embodiments the pilot or othersignals used for beam ranking are transmitted in what is sometimesreferred to as a beam prioritization interval. In embodiments where abeam prioritization interval is used the first communications devicetransmits a reference signal, e.g., pilot signal or other signal, onone, more all a supported beams, e.g., sequentially one beam at a time.The devices, e.g. UE devices in the case where the first communicationsdevice is a base station, within the transmission range of the secondcommunications device receive and measure the reference signals and notethe beam on which they were received. The receiving devices then rankthe beams based on the received signals to produce information, e.g., anordered list, of preferred beams. Given that different UEs will be atdifferent locations, different sets of beam preference information maybe, and often are, generated by each device to which the firstcommunications device transmits. The transmission of the referencesignals can occur quickly and use relatively few resources since thereference signal may be a simple pilot or beam identifier signaltransmitted, e.g., at a known power level.

While the initial ranking of beams supported by a transmitter device,e.g., base station, is made by a receiving device, e.g., UE device,based on the reference signals transmitted in a single time interval,e.g., beam prioritization interval, the ranking of beams made based onsignals received during subsequent beam prioritization intervals may be,and sometimes is based on the signals received during a current beamprioritization interval as well as the signals received in one or moreprevious beam prioritization intervals. In at least some embodiments theranking is based on the channel quality information generated during acurrent beam interval being combined with the channel qualityinformation generated for the same beam generated based on a signalreceived in a previous beam prioritization interval. The ranking may be,and sometimes is, generated based on a weighted average with the currentchannel quality estimate corresponding to a beam being weighted moreheavily than a channel quality estimate for the same beam generatedduring an earlier beam prioritization interval. Thus beam prioritizationmay be, and sometimes is, time dependent with more recent channelquality estimates contributing to beam ranking more heavily than olderchannel quality estimates. By considering time as a function very shortterm transient conditions, such as the affect of leaves of trees movingdue to blowing in the wind may be discounted somewhat with longer termaffects on a channel such as a car obstructing a beam will contributemore heavily to beam selection since the longer term channel obstructionis likely to be present for multiple beam prioritization intervals.

The second communications devices reports the determined beam priorityinformation, e.g., ranked beam list to the first communications device.In the case where the first communications device is a base station itwill receive beam priority information from each of the UEs, e.g., fixedor mobile customer devices, to which it provides service. The firstcommunications device stores the beam priority information, e.g., rankedlist of beams indicating the receiving device's order of beampreference, in memory to be used on a per device basis, e.g., withindividual, e.g., different, beam priority lists being maintained foreach UE by a base station.

The reporting of the beam priority information may and sometimes doesoccur in what is sometimes referred to as a beam information sync periodin which the receiving devices report their determined beam preferenceinformation to the first communications device.

Multiple timers are used to ensure beam information is exchanged atintervals intended to facilitate reliable beam synchronization and tocontrol switching to one or more alternative beams in a predictablemanner in the event beam change information or beam synchronizationinformation is lost. In some but not all embodiments a wideband beam isused to communicate beam synchronization information whensynchronization using narrower beams used for normal data communicationis lost.

An exemplary method of operating a first wireless communications device,e.g. a device, such as a base station, supporting an active antennasystem capable of forming and/or using a plurality of different antennabeam patterns, in accordance with some embodiments, comprises: receivingfirst beam prioritization information, e.g. a prioritized beam list,from a second wireless communications device, e.g., a first UE to whichthe BS transmits; transmitting to the second wireless communicationsdevice using a highest priority beam indicated by the first beamprioritization information; and starting a first beam confirmationtimer. In some such embodiments, the exemplary method further comprises:determining if the first beam confirmation timer has expired withoutreceipt of a signal, indicating a transmitter beam to be used fortransmission to the second wireless communications device, having beenreceived from the second wireless communications device; and switchingto an alternative beam for transmissions to the second wirelesscommunications device when it is determined that the first beamconfirmation timer has expired without receipt of a signal indicatingthe transmitter beam to be used for transmission to the second wirelesscommunications device.

An exemplary method of operating a second wireless communications devicein communications with a first wireless communications device which usesmultiple beams for transmission, in accordance with some embodiments,comprises: receiving signals, e.g., pilot signals, from the firstwireless communications device, said signals being transmitted by thefirst wireless communications device on a plurality different beams;generating for each of the different beams on which a signal isreceived, a channel quality indicator; prioritizing the beams; andtransmitting to the first wireless communications device beam priorityinformation.

It should be appreciated that not all embodiments include all featuresand numerous variations and variations will be apparent in view of theadditional discussion included in the detailed description whichfollows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating an exemplary base station supporting anactive antenna system capable of forming and/or using a plurality ofdifferent antenna beam patterns, an exemplary user equipment (UE)device, and exemplary base station (BS) transmission beams in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary UE device RSSI measurement table and anexemplary base station transmission beam ranked list corresponding tothe example of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating the exemplary base station supportingan active antenna system capable of forming and/or using a plurality ofdifferent antenna beam patterns and the exemplary user equipment (UE)device of FIG. 1, an exemplary obstruction to communications andexemplary base station (BS) transmission beams in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary UE device RSSI measurement table and anexemplary base station transmission beam ranked list corresponding tothe example of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating the exemplary base station supportingan active antenna system capable of forming and/or using a plurality ofdifferent antenna beam patterns and the exemplary user equipment (UE)device of FIG. 1, exemplary obstructions to communications and exemplarybase station (BS) transmission beams in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary UE device RSSI measurement table and anexemplary base station transmission beam ranked list corresponding tothe example of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating an exemplary base station supporting anactive antenna system capable of forming and/or using a plurality ofdifferent antenna beam patterns, an exemplary user equipment (UE) devicewith receive beam forming capabilities, exemplary base station (BS)transmission beams and exemplary UE device receive beams in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary UE device RSSI measurement table, anexemplary base station transmission beam/UE receive beam pair rankedmatrix, and an exemplary base station transmission beam/UE receive beampair ranked list corresponding to the example of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary timing sequence including recurring beamprioritization intervals, beam information sync periods, and beamselection and utilization time periods, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example in which a first wireless communicationsdevice transmits on the same beam to a second wireless communicationsdevice during the data communication interval of a beam selection andutilization time period, and the second wireless communications devicesends beam confirmation signals to the first wireless communicationsdevice, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example in which a first wireless communicationsdevice switches from transmitting on a first beam to a second wirelesscommunications device to transmitting on a second beam to the secondwireless communications device during the data communication interval ofa beam selection and utilization time period in response to a beamchange signal from the second wireless communications device, inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example in which a second wireless communicationsdevice requests a beam switch but the request is lost in the uplink, andthe second wireless communications returns to receiving on the previousbeam in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example in which the first wirelesscommunications device fails to receive an expected beam confirmationsignal and switches to a next beam in accordance with the beam priorityinformation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14A is a first part of a flowchart of an exemplary method ofoperating a first wireless communications device, e.g., a device such asa base station supporting an active antenna system and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14B is a second part of a flowchart of an exemplary method ofoperating a first wireless communications device, e.g., a device such asa base station supporting an active antenna system and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14C is a third part of a flowchart of an exemplary method ofoperating a first wireless communications device, e.g., a device such asa base station supporting an active antenna system and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14D is a fourth part of a flowchart of an exemplary method ofoperating a first wireless communications device, e.g., a device such asa base station supporting an active antenna system and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14 comprises the combination of FIG. 14A, FIG. 14B, FIG. 14C andFIG. 14D.

FIG. 15A is a first part of a flowchart of an exemplary method ofoperating a second wireless communications device in communications witha first wireless communications device, which uses multiple beams fortransmission, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 15B is a second part of a flowchart of an exemplary method ofoperating a second wireless communications device in communications witha first wireless communications device, which uses multiple beams fortransmission, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 15C is a third part of a flowchart of an exemplary method ofoperating a second wireless communications device in communications witha first wireless communications device, which uses multiple beams fortransmission, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 15 comprises the combination of FIG. 15A, FIG. 15B, and FIG. 15C.

FIG. 16 is a drawing illustrating an exemplary base station supportingan active antenna system capable of forming and/or using a plurality ofdifferent antenna beam patterns, an exemplary user equipment (UE)device, and exemplary base station (BS) transmission beams includingdirected beams and a wideband beam in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 17 is a drawing of an exemplary communications system in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a drawing of an exemplary first wireless communicationsdevice, e.g., exemplary base station in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 19 is a drawing of an exemplary second wireless communicationsdevice, e.g., an exemplary user equipment device, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 20A is a drawing of a first part of an exemplary assembly ofcomponents which may be included in an exemplary first wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a base station, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 20B is a drawing of a second part of an exemplary assembly ofcomponents which may be included in an exemplary first wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a base station, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 20C is a drawing of a third part of an exemplary assembly ofcomponents which may be included in an exemplary first wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a base station, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 20D is a drawing of a fourth part of an exemplary assembly ofcomponents which may be included in an exemplary first wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a base station, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 20 comprises the combination of FIG. 20A, FIG. 20B, FIG. 20C andFIG. 20D.

FIG. 21A is a drawing of a first part of an exemplary assembly ofcomponents which may be included in an exemplary second wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a user equipment device, in accordance withan exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 21B is a drawing of a second part of an exemplary assembly ofcomponents which may be included in an exemplary second wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a user equipment device, in accordance withan exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 21C is a drawing of a third part of an exemplary assembly ofcomponents which may be included in an exemplary second wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a user equipment device, in accordance withan exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 21 comprises the combination of FIG. 21A, FIG. 21B and FIG. 21C.

FIG. 22 is a drawing of exemplary data/information which may be includedin a first wireless communications device, e.g., a base stationsupporting beam forming, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a drawing of exemplary data/information which may be includedin a second wireless communications device, e.g., a user equipmentdevice, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a drawing 100 illustrating an exemplary base station 102supporting an active antenna system capable of forming and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, an exemplary userequipment (UE) device 104, and exemplary base station (BS) transmissionbeams (BSB1 112, BSB2 114, BSB3 116) in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment. Drawing 100 further illustrates an exemplary environment inwhich the BS 102 and UE 104 are situated, e.g., at first exemplary timeT1. The environment includes buildings 108, 110 and road 111. UE device104 is a handheld mobile device which is held by user 106. Exemplary UE1 104 has an omni-directional receiver, e.g., a receiver with anomni-directional antenna pattern, as indicated by circle 105.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB1 112, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path120, 121. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmit beam BSB1112 and determines channel quality information corresponding to beam 1,e.g., an RSSI, SNR or some other channel quality metric for transmitbeam 1. While RSSI will be used in explaining the exemplary generationand use of channel quality information in various examples, the methodsand apparatus are not limited to the use of RSSI information and avariety of different types of channel quality information, e.g., SNR,bit error rate, packet error rate, etc, can be used for rankingdifferent beams and/or determining the quality of a channel for rankingpurposes. Accordingly it should be appreciated that the methods andapparatus are not limited to RSSI or the particular examples in whichRSSI is used to explain the invention.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB2 114, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path122. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmit beam BSB2 114and determines an RSSI for transmit beam 2.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB3 116, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path124, 125. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmit beam BSB3116 and determines an RSSI for transmit beam 3.

UE 1 104 ranks the transmit beams based on received RSSI, generates abeam prioritization list, and sends the beam prioritization list to theBS 102 which receives the list. The BS 102 and UE 104 use the list,e.g., for a predetermined period of time, to make decisions as to whichbeam to transmit on and/or for beam switching decisions.

FIG. 2 illustrates drawing 200 which includes an exemplary UE deviceRSSI measurement table 202 and an exemplary base station transmissionbeam ranked list 204 corresponding to the example of FIG. 1. Table 202indicates that: the UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 1112 is 6; the UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 2 114 is10, and UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 3 116 is 3.Ranked base station transmission beam list 204 indicates that basestation transmission beam 2 114 is the highest ranked, e.g., has thehighest priority, followed by base station transmission beam 1 112, andbase station transmission beam 3 116 is the lowest ranked. In theexample of FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 8, the exemplary RSSI scale runs between 0and 10, with 10 representing the highest quality received signal and 0representing poorest quality received signal.

FIG. 3 is a drawing 300 illustrating the exemplary base station 102supporting an active antenna system capable of forming and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, the exemplary userequipment (UE) device 104, and exemplary base station (BS) transmissionbeams (BSB1 312, BSB2 314, BSB3 316) in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment. Drawing 300 further illustrates an exemplary environment inwhich the BS 102 and UE 104 are situated, e.g., at second exemplary timeT2. The environment includes buildings 108, 110, road 111, and vehicle304, which is an obstruction to beam 2 communications. UE device 104 isa handheld mobile device which is held by user 106. Exemplary UE 1 104has an omni-directional receiver as indicated by circle 305.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB1 312, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path320, 321. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmit beam BSB1312 and determines an RSSI for transmit beam 1.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB2 314, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path322, 323. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmit beam BSB2314 and determines an RSSI for transmit beam 2.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB3 316, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path324, 325. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmit beam BSB3316 and determines an RSSI for transmit beam 3.

UE 1 104 ranks the transmit beams based on received RSSI, generates abeam prioritization list, and sends the beam prioritization list to theBS 102 which receives the list. The BS 102 and UE 104 use the list,e.g., for a predetermined period of time, to make decisions as to whichbeam to transmit on and/or for beam switching decisions.

FIG. 4 illustrates drawing 400 which includes an exemplary UE deviceRSSI measurement table 402 and an exemplary base station transmissionbeam ranked list 404 corresponding to the example of FIG. 3. Table 402indicates that: the UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 1312 is 6; the UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 2 314 is1, and UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 3 316 is 3.Ranked base station transmission beam list 404 indicates that basestation transmission beam 1 312 is the highest ranked, e.g., has thehighest priority, followed by base station transmission beam 3 316, andbase station transmission beam 2 314 is the lowest ranked.

FIG. 5 is a drawing 500 illustrating the exemplary base station 102supporting an active antenna system capable of forming and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, the exemplary userequipment (UE) device 104, and exemplary base station (BS) transmissionbeams (BSB1 512, BSB2 514, BSB3 516) in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment. Drawing 500 further illustrates an exemplary environment inwhich the BS 102 and UE 104 are situated, e.g., at third exemplary timeT3. The environment includes buildings 108, 110, road 111, vehicle 504,which is an obstruction to beam 1 communications, and vehicle 502 whichis an obstruction to beam 2 communications. UE device 104 is a handheldmobile device which is held by user 106. Exemplary UE 1 104 has anomni-directional receiver as indicated by circle 505.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB1 512, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path520, 521, 521 a. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmitbeam BSB1 512 and determines an RSSI for transmit beam 1.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB2 514, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path522, 523. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmit beam BSB2514 and determines an RSSI for transmit beam 2.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB3 516, which are communicated to UE 104 via signaling path524, 525. UE 1 104 measures the received signals from transmit beam BSB3516 and determines an RSSI for transmit beam 3.

UE 1 104 ranks the transmit beams based on received RSSI, generates abeam prioritization list, and sends the beam prioritization list to theBS 102 which receives the list. The BS 102 and UE 104 use the list,e.g., for a predetermined period of time, to make decisions as to whichbeam to transmit on and/or for beam switching decisions.

FIG. 6 illustrates drawing 600 which includes an exemplary UE deviceRSSI measurement table 602 and an exemplary base station transmissionbeam ranked list 604 corresponding to the example of FIG. 5. Table 602indicates that: the UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 1512 is 0.5; the UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 2 514is 1, and UE 104 measured RSSI value for base station beam 3 516 is 3.Ranked base station transmission beam list 604 indicates that basestation transmission beam 3 516 is the highest ranked, e.g., has thehighest priority, followed by base station transmission beam 2 514, andbase station transmission beam 1 512 is the lowest ranked.

FIG. 7 is a drawing 700 illustrating exemplary base station 102supporting an active antenna system capable of forming and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, an exemplary userequipment (UE) device 104′, and exemplary base station (BS) transmissionbeams (BSB1 712, BSB2 714, BSB3 716) in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment. Drawing 700 further illustrates an exemplary environment inwhich the BS 102 and UE 104′ are situated, e.g., at first exemplary timeT1. The environment includes buildings 108, 110 and road 111. UE device104′ is a handheld mobile device which is held by user 106. Exemplary UE1 104′ includes a beam forming receiver as indicated by the plurality ofreceive beams (UE receive beam 1 (UEB1) 713, UE receive beam 2 (UEB2)715, UE receive beam 3 (UEB3) 717). In some embodiments, the receiver inUE 104′ can, and sometimes does, switch between different alternativereceive beams.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB1 712, which are communicated to UE 104′, e.g., via signalingpath 720, 721. UE 1 104′ measures the received signals from transmitbeam BSB1 712 using each of its alternative receive beams (UEB1 713,UEB2 715, UEB3 717), obtaining 3 RSSI values.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB2 714, which are communicated to UE 104′, e.g., via signalingpath 722. UE 1 104′ measures the received signals from transmit beamBSB2 714 using each of its alternative receive beams (UEB1 713, UEB2715, UEB3 717), obtaining 3 RSSI values.

BS 102 transmits signals, e.g., reference signals such as pilot signalson beam BSB3 716, which are communicated to UE 104′, e.g., via signalingpath 724. 725. UE 1 104′ measures the received signals from transmitbeam BSB3 716 using each of its alternative receive beams (UEB1 713,UEB2 715, UEB3 717), obtaining 3 RSSI values.

UE 1 104′ ranks the transmit beam/receive beam pairs based on receivedRSSI, generates a beam pair prioritization list, and sends the beam pairprioritization list or at least the beam transmit information in thebeam pair prioritization list to the BS 102 which receives the list. TheBS 102 and UE 104′ use the list, e.g., for a predetermined period oftime, to make decisions as to which beam to transmit on and/or for beamswitching decisions.

FIG. 8 illustrates drawing 800 which includes an exemplary UE deviceRSSI measurement table 804, an exemplary base station transmissionbeam/UE receive beam pair ranked matrix 806, and a base stationtransmission beam/UE receive beam ranked list 808 corresponding to theexample of FIG. 7. RSSI measurement table 804 indicates that the RSSImeasurement values for beam pairs (BSB1 712/UEB1 713, BSB1 712/UEB2 715,BSB1 712/UEB3 717, BSB2 714/UEB1 713, BSB2 714/UEB2 715, BSB2 714/UEB3717, BSB3 716/UEB1 713, BSB3 716/UEB2 715, BSB3 716/UEB3 717) are (7, 4,0.5, 5, 10, 2.5, 0.25, 2, 6), respectively. Beam pair ranked matrix 806indicates that the ranking numbers for beam pairs (BSB1 712/UEB1 713,BSB1 712/UEB2 715, BSB1 712/UEB3 717, BSB2 714/UEB1 713, BSB2 714/UEB2715, BSB2 714/UEB3 717, BSB3 716/UEB1 713, BSB3 716/UEB2 715, BSB3716/UEB3 717) are (2, 5, 8, 4, 1, 6, 9, 7, 3), respectively, with aranking number of 1 indicating the highest ranked, e.g., best receivedsignal and a ranking number of 10 indicating the worst received signal.Ranked beam pair list 808 is an ordered listing the highest ranked beampair at the top of the list and the lowest ranked beam pair at thebottom on the list, e.g., the combination of base station transmit beamBSB2 714 and UE receive beam UEB2 715 is ranked highest, e.g., bestreceived signal indication, the next highest is the combination of basestation transmit beam BSB1 712 and UE receive beam UEB1 713, and thenext highest is the combination of BSB3 716 and receive beam UEB3 717,etc.

It should be appreciated that the RSSI measurements, beam pair ranking,and ranked beam pair list may be expected to change, e.g., duringanother measurement time interval in which path obstructions, e.g.,vehicles, people, animals, leaves, etc., may interfere with thecommunications between the base station 102 and the UE 104′, e.g.,similar to the examples of FIGS. 3 and 5.

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary timing sequence 900 which has a periodicnature to it and thus continues to extend beyond the time period shownin FIG. 9 with the pattern shown in FIG. 9 repeating over time. FIG. 9further includes legend 950, which indicates that: left to rightascending line shading 950 indicates a beam prioritization timeinterval, left to right descending line shading 954 indicates a beaminformation sync period, crosshatch shading 956 indicates a beamconfirmation interval, and T0 958 indicates a beam confirmation timeinterval.

The exemplary timing sequences 900 includes a first beam selection andutilization time period 901 and second beam selection and utilizationtime period 903. The first and second beam selection and utilizationtime periods 901, 903 have the same structure with primes being use incombination with a reference number to show a time period which is thesame or similar to the time period with the same reference number butwith the prime.

The first beam selection and utilization time period 901 includes afirst beam prioritization interval 902 in which the first communicationsdevice, e.g., base station or other device which supports beams fortransmission purposes, transmits reference signals which are receivedand measured by one or more receiving devices, e.g., UEs, serviced bythe first base station. The beam selection and utilization time period901 also includes beam information sync period 904 in which the devicesthat receive the transmitted reference signals used to determine thechannel quality corresponding to each beam, communicates beam priorityinformation to the first communications device, e.g., base station,which transmitted the reference signals on the different beams. A datacommunications interval 911, 911′ follows each beam information syncperiod (904. 904′). The data communications intervals may, and sometimesdo include one or more beam confirmation intervals, 906, 908, 910, 912,914 wherein the receiving devices, e.g., UEs, transmit a signalindicating the beam they are using, e.g., listening on at least once perbeam confirmation time interval To. While the spacing of the beamconfirmation time intervals is shown as being uniform in FIG. 9, thispresumes no changes to the beam are requested by the receiving devices,e.g., UE and made by the first communications device, e.g., BS. In caseswhere the UE requests a beam change during a data transmission timeinterval, the start of the confirmation time interval To will be resetso that the BS will expect and the UE will send a beam confirmationsignal within To seconds of the transmitted beam change signal. In thisway the beam change signal can, like the sending of a beam confirmationsignal, trigger the resetting of a time interval To in the base stationwhich the base station uses to check to determine if a change to anotherbeam should be made for a UE despite the lack of receipt of a beamchange or confirmation signal within the time period T0 from the lastbeam change or confirmation signal.

If the base station does not receive a beam change or beam confirmationsignal from a UE prior to the expiration of the beam confirmation timeTo corresponding to the UE, the base station will switch to the nextbeam in the BS maintained priority information for the UE from which abeam confirmation or beam change signal was not received beforeexpiration of the To confirmation/change time corresponding to the UE.

-   -   The relationship between various timers can be understand as        follows:

To<RLC time out

-   -   Where To is max time threshold between confirmation or beam        change signals.    -   T1>To where T1 is a max time a transmitter continues to stay on        the last used beam for transmission purposes since the last beam        confirmation or beam change signal was received; and where a        receiver device, e.g., UE, uses a second time threshold T2 as a        beam change confirmation time interval in which the receiver        device expects to receive a beam change confirmation signal from        the transmitter device, B.S., after transmission of a requested        beam change signal to the BS.

By using the way the base station is able to confirm that it is still incommunication with the UE and using the beam expected by the UE forcommunication purposes. If a UE specifics a beam during a confirmationinterval other than the one the BS believes is being used to communicateto the UE, the base station will update information it stores indicatingthe beam to be used for the UE and change to the beam specified by theUE. If the UE indicates a beam during the beam confirmation intervalwhich the same as the beam being used by the base station to communicatewith the UE no change in the beam information corresponding to the UEwill be made and the BS will continue to use the indicated beampreviously in use.

In various embodiments the base station and UE switch from one beam tothe next based on the beam ranking information.

When a UE detects a problem with a beam, e.g., it fails to receiveinformation on a beam or detects a poor channel quality as indicated byerrors in received data or a low signal to noise ratio on signalsreceived on a beam the UE may and sometimes will signal to the BS that achange in beams is to be made. The UE will signal to the BS to use thenext beam on the ordered beam list or specify a beam to be used. If thebase station receives the change signal, it will switch to using thebeam indicated by the received signal, e.g., the next beam on the beampriority list which will, in some cases, be a lower ranked beam than theone previously used but which has the potential to be a better channelfor communications given the detected channel quality problem with thepreviously used beam.

If the base station receives the change signal from the UE it willswitch to the new beam and confirm the switch. The UE may and often willswitch automatically to looking for signals on the new beam aftersending the change signal to the BS and expect to receive the changeconfirmation from the BS on the new beam. The change may involve aswitch in receive antennas or a receive antenna configuration where theUE supports configurable or selectable receive antenna beams orpatterns. Alternatively the switch may involve monitoring for datatransmitted on a channel corresponding to the beam id of the beam towhich the UE indicated a change was made.

The base station and UE are synchronized so that they have a commonunderstanding of when beam prioritization information is to be generatedand beam utilization is to be confirmed. During the data communicationstime intervals 911′, the BS expects to receive from a UE at least onebeam confirmation signal every To seconds. Thus To can be used as aconfirmation timer and if a beam confirmation signal is not receivedwith the To seconds of the last beam confirmation signal the BS canpresume a beam synchronization error has occurred. While the basestation relies on the beam confirmation time To, the UE uses a beamswitch timeout timer

However in other embodiments a dedicated interval is not used andinstead pilot signals transmitted at other times, e.g., during datatransmission time periods, are used for beam prioritization.

FIG. 10 is a drawing 1000 illustrating an example in which a firstwireless communications device transmits on the same beam to a secondwireless communications device during the data communication interval ofa beam selection and utilization time period, and the second wirelesscommunications device sends beam confirmation signals to the firstwireless communications device, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment.

Beam selection and utilization time period 1002 includes beamprioritization interval 1004 in which the first wireless communicationsdevice transmits pilot signals on a plurality of beams, the secondwireless communications devices receives and measures the signals, andthe second wireless communications device generates a transmit beampriority list 1005, with beam 2 having the highest priority and beam 3being ranked to have the lowest priority. In beam information syncperiod 1006 the second communications device communicates the beampriority information 1005 to the first wireless communications device.Then the first wireless communications device starts transmitting to thesecond wireless communications device during a data communicationinterval using the highest priority beam which is beam 2. The secondwireless communications device receives signals from the first wirelesscommunications device, which are considered to be of an acceptablequality level, and the second wireless communications deviceperiodically sends back beam confirmation signals (1008, 1010, 1012,1014, 1016) which communicate an indicator (1009, 1011, 1013, 1015,1017), respectively, each which confirms beam 2.

A subsequent beam selection and utilization time period includes beamprioritization interval 1024 in which the first wireless communicationsdevice transmits pilot signals on a plurality of beams, the secondwireless communications devices receives and measures the signals, andthe second wireless communications device generates a transmit beampriority list 1025, with beam 1 having the highest priority and beam 3being ranked to have the lowest priority. In beam information syncperiod 1026 the second communications device communicates the beampriority information 1025 to the first wireless communications device.Then the first wireless communications device starts transmitting to thesecond wireless communications device during a data communicationinterval using the highest priority beam which is now beam 1. The secondwireless communications device receives signals from the first wirelesscommunications device, which are considered to be of an acceptablequality level, and the second wireless communications deviceperiodically sends back beam confirmation signals (1028, 1030, 1032, . .. ) which communicate an indicator (1029, 1031, 1033), each whichconfirms beam 1.

FIG. 11 is a drawing 1100 illustrating an example in which a firstwireless communications device switches from transmitting on a firstbeam to a second wireless communications device to transmitting on asecond beam to the second wireless communications device during the datacommunication interval of a beam selection and utilization time periodin response to a beam change signal from the second wirelesscommunications device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

Beam selection and utilization time period 1102 includes beamprioritization interval 1104 in which the first wireless communicationsdevice transmits pilot signals on a plurality of beams, e.g., 5 beams,the second wireless communications devices receives and measures thesignals, and the second wireless communications device generates atransmit beam priority list 1105, with beam 1 having the highestpriority and beam 3 being ranked to have the lowest priority. In beaminformation sync period 1006 the second communications devicecommunicates the beam priority information 1105 to the first wirelesscommunications device. Then the first wireless communications devicestarts transmitting to the second wireless communications device duringa data communication interval using the highest priority beam which isbeam 1. The second wireless communications device receives signals fromthe first wireless communications device, which are considered to be ofan acceptable quality level, and the second wireless communicationsdevice sends back beam confirmation signals 1108, which communicate anindicator 1009, which confirms beam 1. The second wirelesscommunications device determines that the receive quality for beam 1 isno longer acceptable. The second wireless communications devicegenerates and sends beam change request signal 1110 communicating beamindicator 1111, which indicates beam 2. The first wirelesscommunications devices receives the request and starts communicating towireless communications device 2 on transmit beam 2, and thecommunications include the transmission of beam change acknowledgmentsignal 1112 communicating indicator 1113, which indicates beam 2. Thesecond wireless communications device receives signals from the firstwireless communications device, which are considered to be of anacceptable quality level, and the second wireless communications deviceperiodically sends back beam confirmation signals (1114, 1116, 1118,1120) which communicate an indicator (1115, 1117, 1119, 1121), eachwhich confirms beam 2.

FIG. 12 is a drawing 1200 illustrating an example in which a secondwireless communications device requests a beam switch but the request islost in the uplink, and the second wireless communications returns toreceiving on the previous beam in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment.

Beam selection and utilization time period 1202 includes beamprioritization interval 1204 in which the first wireless communicationsdevice transmits pilot signals on a plurality of beams, the secondwireless communications devices receives and measures the signals, andthe second wireless communications device generates a transmit beampriority list 1205, with beam 2 having the highest priority and beam 3being ranked to have the lowest priority. In beam information syncperiod 1206 the second communications device communicates the beampriority information 1205 to the first wireless communications device.Then the first wireless communications device starts transmitting to thesecond wireless communications device during a data communicationinterval using the highest priority beam which is beam 2. The secondwireless communications device receives signals from the first wirelesscommunications device, which are considered to be of an acceptablequality level, and the second wireless communications device sends backbeam confirmation signals 1208 which communicate an indicator (1209,which confirms beam 2. Then, the second wireless communications devicesdetermines that the quality on beam 2 is unacceptable, and the secondwireless communications device generates and send beam change requestsignal 1210 including an indicator 1211 indicating that the firstwireless communications device should transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device on beam 1. However signal 1210 is lost in theuplink and the first wireless communications device never receives thechange request, and thus continues to transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device on beam 2. The second wireless communicationsdevice has switched to monitor beam 1, but does not receive a beamchange acknowledgment. After time T2, the second wireless communicationsdevice switches back to the last beam which was beam 2. At this point intime the receive quality of beam 2 has improved and is now acceptable.The second wireless communications device subsequently sends beamconfirmation signals (1214, 1216, 1218, 1220), each including anindicator (1215, 1217, 1219, 1221) confirming beam 2.

FIG. 13 is a drawing 1300 which illustrates an example in which thefirst wireless communications device fails to receive an expected beamconfirmation signal and switches to a next beam in accordance with thebeam priority information in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.Beam selection and utilization time period 1302 includes beamprioritization interval 1304 in which the first wireless communicationsdevice transmits pilot signals on a plurality of beams, the secondwireless communications devices receives and measures the signals, andthe second wireless communications device generates a transmit beampriority list 1305, with beam 2 having the highest priority and beam 3being ranked to have the lowest priority. In beam information syncperiod 1306 the second communications device communicates the beampriority information 1305 to the first wireless communications device.Then the first wireless communications device starts transmitting to thesecond wireless communications device during a data communicationinterval using the highest priority beam which is beam 2. The secondwireless communications device receives signals from the first wirelesscommunications device, which are considered to be of an acceptablequality level, and the second wireless communications device sends backbeam confirmation signals 1308 which communicates and indicator 1309which confirms beam 2. At time 1310, the first wireless communicationsdevice fails to receive an expected beam confirmation signal from thesecond wireless communications device, and the first wirelesscommunications device switches to transmit beam 1 in accordance with thetransmit beam priority list 1305, e.g., selects the replacement beam fortransmission to wireless device 2 which has the highest priority on thelist after removing the beam which was not confirmed, e.g., beam 1 hasthe highest priority from the set of beams 1 and 3. The second wirelessdevice, which also has priority list 1305 and knows the switching rulesbeing used by the first wireless communications device, also switched tobeam 1. The second wireless communications device receives signalscommunicated on beam 1 from the first wireless communications device,which are considered to be of an acceptable quality level, and thesecond wireless communications device sends back beam confirmationsignals (1312, 1314, 1316), each which communicates and indicator (1313,1315, 1317) which confirms beam 1.

FIG. 14, comprising the combination of FIG. 14A, FIG. 14B, FIG. 14C, andFIG. 14D, is a flowchart 1400 of an exemplary method of operating afirst wireless communications device, e.g., a device such as a basestation supporting an active antenna system and/or using a plurality ofdifferent antenna beam patterns, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment. Operation starts in step 1402 in which the first wirelesscommunications device is powered on and initialized. Operation proceedsfrom step 1402 to step 1404.

In step 1404 the first wireless communications device transmits signals,e.g., pilot signals, on a plurality of beams, e.g., during a beamprioritization interval. Operation proceeds from step 1404 to step 1406.In step 1406, the first wireless communications receives first beamprioritization information, e.g., a prioritized beam list, from a secondwireless communications device, e.g., a first user equipment (UE) deviceto which the first wireless communications device, e.g., base station(BS), transmits. The first UE device may be a mobile device such as acell phone or a fixed device such as a personal computer at a customerpremises. Operation proceeds from step 1406 to step 1408 and step 1410.

In step 1408 the first wireless communications device decides if it istime to update the first beam prioritization information. In someembodiments, there is a known predetermined spacing between successivebeam prioritization time intervals. If the first wireless communicationsdevice decides that it is time to update first beam prioritizationinformation, then operation proceeds from step 1408 to step 1404 inwhich the first wireless communications device again transmits signals,e.g., pilot signal, on a plurality of beams, e.g., during another, e.g.,the next successive scheduled, beam prioritization time interval. If thefirst wireless communications device decides in step 1408 that it is nottime to update first beam prioritization information, then operationproceeds from step 1408 to the input of step 1408 to perform anothercheck if it is time to update first beam prioritization information at alater point in time, e.g., after a predetermined delay.

Returning to step 1410, in step 1410 the first wireless communicationsdevice transmits to the second wireless communications device using ahighest priority beam indicated by the first beam prioritizationinformation. Operation proceeds from step 1410 to steps 1412 and step1414, and in some embodiments, to step 1416. In step 1412 the firstwireless communications device starts a first beam confirmation timer.In step 1414 the first wireless communications device starts a firsttransmit shutdown timer. In step 1416 the first wireless communicationsdevice starts a first wideband signaling timer. Operation proceeds fromstep 1412, 1414 and 1416 to connecting node A 1418. Operation proceedsfrom connecting node A 1418 to step 1420, to step 1424 via connectingnode B 1422, to step 1428 via connecting node C 1426, and in someembodiments, to step 1432 via connecting node D 1430.

In step 1420, the first wireless communications device monitors,following startup of the first beam confirmation timer, for receipt of asignal indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission to thesecond wireless communications device, said signal being one of a beamconfirmation signal from the second wireless communications device or abeam change signal from the second wireless communications device. Step1420 is performed on a recurring basis. Step 1420 may, and sometimesdoes, include step 1434 in which the first wireless communicationsdevice detects a signal indicating a transmitter beam to be used fortransmission to the second wireless communications device. Operationproceeds from step 1434, via connecting node E 1436, to step 1437.

In step 1437 the first wireless communications device responds toreceipt of said signal indicating a transmitter beam to be used fortransmission to the second wireless communications device. Step 1437includes steps 1438, 1439, 1440, 1442, 1444, 1446, 1448, 1450, 1454,1456, 1458. 1460, 1462, 1464, 1466, 1470 and in some embodiments, steps1452 and 1468.

In step 1438 the first wireless communications devices determines if thedetected signal, detected in step 1434, is a beam confirmation signal.If the first wireless communications device determines that the detectedsignal is a beam confirmation signal, then operation proceeds from step1438 to step 1439; otherwise, operation proceeds from step 1438 to step1442. In step 1439 the first wireless communications device responds todetection of a beam confirmation signal. Step 1439 includes steps 1440,1444, 1446, 1448, 1450, 1454, and in some embodiments, step 1452. Instep 1440 the first wireless communications device continues to use thebeam indicated in the beam confirmation signal for transmission to thesecond wireless communications device. Operation proceeds from step 1440to step 1444. In step 1444 the first wireless communications devicetransmits to the second wireless communications device using the beamindicated in the beam confirmation signal. In various embodiments, step1444 includes step 1446 in which the first wireless communicationsdevice sends, e.g. on the old beam, a beam acknowledgment signal tosecond wireless communications device confirming successful receipt ofthe beam confirmation signal. Operation proceeds from step 1444 to steps1448, 1450, and in some embodiments, to step 1452. In step 1448 thefirst wireless communications device restarts the first beamconfirmation timer. In step 1450 the first wireless communicationsdevice restart the first transmit shutdown timer. In step 1452 the firstwireless communications device restart the first wideband signalingtimer. Operation proceeds from steps 1448, 1450 and 1452 to step 1454 inwhich the first wireless communications device transmits to the secondwireless communications device using the beam indicated in the beamconfirmation signal.

Returning to step 1442, in step 1442, the first wireless communicationsdevice determines if the detected signal, detected in step 1434, is abeam change signal. If the determination of step 1442 is that thedetected signal is a beam change signal, then operation proceeds fromstep 1442 to step 1455; otherwise, operation proceeds to step 1458, inwhich the first wireless communications device processes the receivedsignal.

Returning to step 1455, in step 1455 the first wireless communicationsdevice responds to detection of a beam change signal. Step 1455 includessteps 1456, 1460, 1462, 1464, 1466, 1470, and in some embodiments, step1468. In step 1456 the first wireless communications device switches tousing a new beam indicated in the beam change signal for transmissionsto the second wireless communications device. Operation proceeds fromstep 1456 to step 1460.

In step 1460 the first wireless communications device transmits to thesecond wireless communications device using the new beam indicated inthe beam change signal. Step 1460 includes step 1462 in which the firstwireless communications device sends, e.g., on the new beam, a beamacknowledgment signal to second wireless communications deviceconfirming successful receipt of the beam change signal. Operationproceeds from step 1460 to steps 1464, 1466, and in some embodiments, tostep 1468. In step 1464 the first wireless communications devicerestarts the first beam confirmation timer. In step 1466 the firstwireless communications device restart the first transmit shutdowntimer. In step 1468 the first wireless communications device restart thefirst wideband signaling timer. Operation proceeds from steps 1464, 1466and 1468 to step 1470 in which the first wireless communications devicetransmits to the second wireless communications device using the beamindicated in the beam change signal.

Returning to step 1424, in step 1424 the first wireless communicationsdevice determines if the first beam confirmation timer has expiredwithout receipt of a signal, e.g. a beam confirmation signal or a beamchange signal, indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmissionto the second wireless communications device. Step 1424 includes steps1472, 1474, and 1476. In step 1472 the first wireless communicationsdevice determines if the first beam confirmation timer has reached afirst beam timer expiration value. If the determination is that that thefirst beam confirmation timer has reached the first beam timerexpiration value, then operation proceeds from step 1472, to step 1476;otherwise, operation proceeds from step 1472 to step 1474. In step 1472the first wireless communications device determines that the first beamconfirmation timer has expired. Operation proceeds from step 1476 tostep 1480. In step 1480 the first wireless communications device selectswhich of a plurality of alternative beams to be used based on apredetermined beam selection process known to the second wirelesscommunications device. For example, if there was a good previous beamknown to the base station and UE select to use the last good beamotherwise select to use the next highest priority beam indicated in thefirst beam prioritization information. Operation proceeds from step 1480to step 1481.

In step 1481 the first wireless communications device switches to analternative beam, e.g., the selected alternative beam, for transmissionto the second wireless communications device when it is determined thatthe first beam configuration timer has expired without receipt of asignal indicating the transmission beam to be used for transmission tothe second wireless communications device. In some embodiments, the beamto which the switch is made is one of the next priority beam indicatedby the first beam prioritization information, e.g., next lowest prioritybeam, or a beam previously used for communicating with the secondcommunications device.

Returning to step 1474, in step 1474 the first wireless communicationsdevice determines that the first beam configuration timer has notexpired. Operation proceeds from step 1474 to step 1478, in which thefirst wireless communications device continues transmitting on thecurrently selected beam. Operation proceeds from step 1478 to the inputof step 1424.

Returning to step 1428, in step 1428 the first wireless communicationsdevice determines if the first transmit shutdown timer has expired,e.g., without receipt of a signal indicating a transmitter beam to beused for transmission to the second wireless communications devicehaving been received. Step 1428 includes steps 1482, 1483, and 1484. Instep 1482 the first wireless communications device determines if thefirst transmit shutdown timer has reached a first transmit shutdowntimer expiration value. If the determination is that that the firsttransmit shutdown timer has reached the first transmit shutdown timerexpiration value, then operation proceeds from step 1482, to step 1484;otherwise, operation proceeds from step 1482 to step 1483. In step 1484the first wireless communications device determines that the firsttransmit shutdown timer has expired. Operation proceeds from step 1484to step 1486. In step 1486 the first wireless communications devicestops data transmission to said second wireless communications deviceuntil establishment of a new radio connection with the second wirelesscommunications device.

Returning to step 1483, in step 1483 the first wireless communicationsdevice determines that the first transmit shutdown timer has notexpired. Operation proceeds from step 1483 to step 1485, in which thefirst wireless communications device continues transmitting on thecurrently selected beam. Operation proceeds from step 1485 to the inputof step 1428.

Returning to step 1432, in step 1432 the first wireless communicationsdevice determines if the first wideband signaling timer has expired,e.g., without receipt of a signal indicating a transmitter beam to beused for transmission to the second wireless communications devicehaving been received. Step 1432 includes steps 1487, 1488, and 1489. Instep 1487 the first wireless communications device determines if thefirst wideband signaling timer has reached a first wideband signalingtimer expiration value. If the determination is that that the firstwideband signaling timer has reached the first wideband signaling timerexpiration value, then operation proceeds from step 1487, to step 1489;otherwise, operation proceeds from step 1487 to step 1488. In step 1489the first wireless communications device determines that the firstwideband signaling timer has expired. Operation proceeds from step 1489to step 1491. In step 1491 the first wireless communications devicetransmits a beam identification signal to the second wirelesscommunications device using a wideband beam, said beam identificationsignal identifying, e.g., indicating, a beam which will be used by thefirst wireless communications device to transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device. In various embodiments, the wideband beam is abeam which spans an area covered by multiple different beams indicatedin said first beam prioritization information and which uses the samefrequency band used by the beams listed in the first beam prioritizationinformation. In some such embodiments, the wideband beam covers the areaof at least the last beam used to communicate with the second wirelesscommunications device and two physically adjacent beams, e.g., a leftbeam and a right beam. Operation proceeds from step 1491 to step 1492.In step 1492 the first wireless communications device transmits data tothe second wireless communications device on the beam identified by thebeam identification signal.

Returning to step 1488, in step 1488 the first wireless communicationsdevice determines that the first wideband signaling timer has notexpired. Operation proceeds from step 1488 to step 1490, in which thefirst wireless communications device continues transmitting on thecurrently selected beam. Operation proceeds from step 1490 to the inputof step 1432.

In some embodiments, the first beam confirmation time has a firstduration Tc, said second beam shutdown time has a second duration Ts,and said first wideband signaling timer has a third duration Twbi, whereTc<Twbi<Ts.

The method of flowchart 1400 of FIG. 14 is implemented by, e.g., any ofdevices: base station 102 of FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 7, 102′ of FIG. 16, andfirst wireless communications device 1702 of FIG. 17, first wirelesscommunications device 1800 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 15, comprising the combination of FIG. 15A, FIG. 15B and FIG. 15C,is a flowchart 1500 of an exemplary method of operating a secondwireless communications device in communications with a first wirelesscommunications device, which uses multiple beams for transmission, inaccordance with various exemplary embodiments. In one embodiment thefirst wireless communications device is, e.g., a device such as a basestation supporting an active antenna system and/or using a plurality ofdifferent antenna beam patterns, and the second wireless communicationsdevice is, e.g., a first user equipment (UE) device to which the firstwireless communications device, e.g., base station (BS), transmits. Instep 1502 the second wireless communications device is powered on andinitialized. Operation proceeds from step 1502 to step 1504.

In step 1504 the second wireless communications device receive signals,e.g., pilot signals, from the first wireless communications device, saidsignals being transmitted by the first wireless communications device ina plurality of different beams. Operation proceeds from step 1504 tostep 1506.

In step 1506 the second wireless communications device generates foreach of the different beams on which a signal is received a channelquality indicator. In some embodiments, the generated channel qualityindicator (CQI) is in the form of an RSSI or SNR. In some embodiments,the channel quality indicator is based on both an RSSI and an SNR.Operation proceeds from step 1506 to step 1508. In step 1508 the secondwireless communications device prioritizes the beams. Operation proceedsfrom step 1508 to step 1510.

In step 1510 the second wireless communications device transmits to thefirst wireless communications device beam priority information. In someembodiments, the bam priority information is a ranked list showing thesecond wireless communication devices's priority ordering of beams fromwhich signals were received. Operation proceeds from step 1510 to step1512.

In step 1512 the second wireless communications device receives signalstransmitted by the first wireless communications device using a highestpriority beam indicated in the communicated beam priority information.Operation proceeds from step 1512 to step 1514.

In step 1514 the second wireless communications device generates achannel quality indicator (CQI) from the received signals for thecommunications channel corresponding to the highest priority beam.Operation proceeds from step 1514 to step 1516.

In step 1516 the second wireless communications device checks thechannel quality indicator to confirm it is above a channel qualitythreshold. Operation proceeds from step 1516 to step 1518. If thedetermination is that the check of the generated channel qualityindicator is above the generated channel quality threshold, thenoperation proceeds from step 1518 to step 1520, where the secondwireless communications device transmits a beam confirmation indicatorindicating that the highest priority beam is to continue to be used.However, if the determination is that the check of the generated channelquality indicator is not above the generated channel quality threshold,then operation proceeds from step 1518, via connecting node A 1522, tostep 1524.

In step 1524 the second communications device detects a communicationsloss corresponding to the highest priority beam, e.g., a failure toreceive signals on the highest priority beam as may be indicated by acomplete failure or packet loss, or a degradation of a channelcorresponding to the highest priority beam, e.g., as indicated by anadditional CQI generated from another received signal or a low SNR ofthe communications channel corresponding to the highest priority beam.Operation proceeds from step 1524 to step 1528.

In step 1528 the second wireless communications device communicates tothe first wireless communications device a beam change signal indicatingthat the first wireless communications device should switch to using asecond beam for communications with the second wireless communicationsdevice, said second beam being different from said highest prioritybeam, said second beam being either a beam having the next lowestpriority or a previously used beam. Operation proceeds from step 1528 tosteps 1530, 1532 and 1534. In step 1530 the second wirelesscommunications device sets a channel switch timer when the beam changesignal is sent to the first wireless communications device. In step 1532the second wireless communications device sets a wideband beam switchtimer when the beam change signal is sent to the first wirelesscommunications device. In step 1534 the second wireless communicationsdevice sets a RRC timer when the beam change signal is sent to the firstwireless communications device. Operation proceeds from step 1530 tostep 1536.

In step 1536 the second wireless communications device monitors forreceipt of a signal, e.g., a beam change confirmation signal or a datasignal directed to the second wireless communications device, from thefirst wireless communications device in the second beam. Operationproceeds from step 1536 to step 1538. If the monitoring of step 1536detects receipt of the signal in the second beam before the channelswitch timer expires, then operation proceeds from step 1536 to step1538 to step 1540, in response to the detection. In step 1540 the secondwireless communications device receives signals of the second beam.Operation proceeds from step 1540 to step 1542. In step 1542, the secondwireless communications device shuts off the channel switch timer, thewideband switch timer, and the RRC timer. Operation proceeds form step1542 to step 1544. In step 1544 the second wireless communicationsdevice transmits a beam confirmation indicator indicating that thesecond beam is to continue to be used for transmission to the secondwireless communications device.

If the monitoring of step 1536 fails to detect the signal on the secondbeam and the beam change timer expires, then operation proceeds fromstep 1538 to step 1546.

In step 1546 the second wireless communications device switches back tothe highest priority beam from the second beam in response to saidmonitoring failing to detect said signal from the first wirelesscommunications device on the second beam. Operation proceeds from step1546 to step 1548.

In step 1548 the second wireless communications device monitors forreceipt of a signal, e.g., a beam change confirmation signal or a datasignal directed to the second wireless communications device, from thefirst wireless communications device. In some embodiments, during step1548 the wireless communications device may, and sometimes does, monitoron multiple different beams in succession, e.g., each for apredetermined amount of time, e.g., an amount of time corresponding tothe channel switch timer setting value. In some embodiments, the orderof the search is based on the beam priority information. Operationproceeds from step 1548, via connecting node B 1550, to step 1552. Instep 1552 the second wireless communications device determines if asignal from the first wireless communications device has not beendetected by the expiration of the wideband beam switch timer. Operationproceeds from step 1552 to step 1554.

In step 1554 the second wireless communications device controlsoperation as a function of the determination if the signal from thefirst wireless communications device was not received by the expirationof the wideband beam switch timer. If the determination is that thesignal being monitored for was not received from the wirelesscommunications by the expiration of the wideband switch timer, thenoperation proceeds from step 1554 to step 1562. However, if thedetermination is that the signal being monitored for was received fromthe wireless communications before the expiration of the wideband switchtimer, then operation proceeds from step 1554 to step 1566 in responseto the detection of the signal.

In step 1556 the second wireless communications device receives signalsof the beam indicated in the received signal. Operation proceeds fromstep 1556 to step 1558. In step 1558, the second wireless communicationsdevice shuts off the channel switch timer, the wideband switch timer,and the RRC timer. Operation proceeds form step 1558 to step 1560. Instep 1560 the second wireless communications device transmits a beamconfirmation indicator indicating that the beam indicated in thereceived signal is to be used for transmissions to the second wirelesscommunications device.

Returning to step 1562, in step 1562 the second wireless communicationsdevice switches to monitoring a wideband beam for a signal from thefirst wireless communications device indicating a beam which will beused by the first wireless communications device to transmit to thesecond wireless communications device. Operation proceeds from step 1562to step 1564.

In step 1564 the second wireless communications device determines if asignal from the first wireless communications device has not beenreceived by the expiration of the RRC timer. Operation proceeds fromstep 1564 to step 1566.

In step 1566 the second wireless communications device controlsoperation as a function of the determination if the signal from thefirst wireless communications device was not received by the expirationof the RRC timer. If the determination is that the signal beingmonitored for was not received from the wireless communications by theexpiration of the RRC timer, then operation proceeds from step 1566 tostep 1574. However, if the determination is that the signal beingmonitored for was received from the wireless communications before theexpiration of the RRC timer, then operation proceeds from step 1566 tostep 1568 in response to the detection of the signal.

In step 1568 the second wireless communications device receives signalson the beam indicated in the received wideband signal. Operationproceeds from step 1568 to step 1570. In step 1570, the second wirelesscommunications device shuts off the RRC timer. Operation proceeds formstep 1570 to step 1572. In step 1572 the second wireless communicationsdevice transmits a beam confirmation indicator indicating that the beamindicated in the received wideband beam signal is to be used fortransmissions to the second wireless communications device.

Returning to step 1574, in step 1574 the second wireless communicationsdevice sends a radio reconfiguration request to the first wirelesscommunications device.

The method of flowchart 1500 of FIG. 15 is implemented by, e.g., any ofdevices: UE 104 of FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, UE 104′ of FIG. 7, 104″ of FIG. 16,second wireless communications device 1704 of FIG. 17, Nth wirelesscommunications device 1706 of FIG. 17, and second wirelesscommunications device 1900 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 16 is a drawing 1600 illustrating an exemplary base station 102′supporting an active antenna system capable of forming and/or using aplurality of different antenna beam patterns, an exemplary userequipment (UE) device 104″, and exemplary base station (BS) transmissionbeams including directed beams (BSB1 1612, BSB2 1614, BSB3 1616) and awideband beam 1617 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a drawing of an exemplary communications system 1700 inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment. Exemplary communications system1700 includes a first wireless communications device, e.g., a wirelessbase station 1702 including beam forming capabilities, and a pluralityof additional wireless communications devices, e.g., user equipmentdevices (UE 1 1704, . . . UE N 1706) optionally including beam formingcapabilities. First wireless communications device 1702 supportstransmission to devices (1704, . . . , 1706) on multiple alternativebeams. First wireless communications device is, e.g., device 1800 ofFIG. 18 and implements the method of flowchart 1400 of FIG. 14. Secondwireless communications device 1704 is, e.g., device 1900 of FIG. 19 andimplements the method of flowchart 1500 of FIG. 15. Nth wirelesscommunications device 1706 is, e.g., another device implemented asdevice 1900 of FIG. 19 and also implements the method of flowchart 1500of FIG. 15.

In some embodiments, both the first wireless communications device 1702and the second wireless communications device 1704 support beam formingwith regard to their transmissions, respectively. In some suchembodiments, device 1702 implements a method in accordance withflowchart 1400 of FIG. 14 regarding the downlink signaling and a methodin accordance with flowchart 1500 of FIG. 15 regarding uplink signaling;and device 1704 implements a method in accordance with flowchart 1400 ofFIG. 14 regarding the uplink signaling and a method in accordance withflowchart 1500 FIG. 15 regarding downlink signaling.

FIG. 18 is a drawing of an exemplary first wireless communicationsdevice 1800 including beam forming capabilities, e.g., a base stationincluding beam forming capabilities in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment. In some embodiments, exemplary base station 1800 is a firstwireless communications device, e.g., the first wireless communicationsdevice implementing the method of flowchart 1400 of FIG. 14. Exemplarybase station 1800 includes a wireless interface 1804, a networkinterface 1805, e.g., a wired or optical interface, a processor 1806,e.g., a CPU, an assembly of hardware components 1808, e.g., an assemblyof circuits, and I/O interface 1810 and memory 1812 coupled together viaa bus 1809 over which the various elements may interchange data andinformation. Base station 1800 further includes a speaker 1852, adisplay 1853, switches 1856, keypad 1858 and mouse 1859 coupled to I/Ointerface 1810, via which the various I/O devices (1852, 1854, 1856,1858, 1859) may communicate with other elements (1804, 1806, 108, 1812)of the base station. Network interface 1805 includes a receiver 1878 anda transmitter 1880. In some embodiments, receiver 1878 and transmitter1880 are part of a transceiver 1884. Wireless interface 1804 includes awireless receiver 1838 and a wireless transmitter 1840. In someembodiments, receiver 1838 and transmitter 1840 are part of atransceiver 1842. In various embodiments, wireless interface 1904includes a plurality of wireless receivers and a plurality of wirelesstransmitters. Wireless receiver 1838 is coupled to a plurality ofreceive antennas (receive antenna 1 1839, . . . , receive antenna M1841), via which base station 1800 can receive wireless signal fromother wireless communications devices including a second wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a UE device. Received signals include,e.g., first beam prioritization information, e.g., a prioritized beamlist from the second wireless communications device, a beam confirmationsignal from the second wireless communications device, a beam changesignal from the second wireless communications device, and a radioreconnection request signal from the second wireless communicationsdevice. Wireless transmitter is coupled to a plurality of wirelesstransmit antennas (transmit antenna 1 1843, . . . , transmit antenna N1845) via which the base station 1800 can transmit signals to otherwireless communications device including a second wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a UE device. Transmit signals include,e.g., pilot signals on a plurality of alternative transmit beams, datasignals directed to a second wireless communications device on acurrently selected beam, a beam acknowledgment signal directed to thesecond wireless communications device, and a beam identification signalin a wideband signal directed to the second wireless communicationsdevice.

In some embodiments, wireless receiver 1838 is configured to: receivefirst beam prioritization information from a second wirelesscommunications device, receive a beam confirmation signal from thesecond wireless communications device and receive a beam change signalfrom the second wireless communications device. In some embodiments, thewireless transmitter 1840 is configured to: transmit to the secondwireless communications device using a highest priority beam indicatedby the first beam prioritization information, transmitting to the secondwireless communications device using a new beam, e.g., indicated in areceived beam change signal, continue to transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device using the same beam, e.g., based on a receivedbeam confirmation signal, send a beam change acknowledgment signal tothe second wireless communications device indicating successful receiptof the beam change signal, transmit a beam identification signal to thesecond wireless communications device using a wideband beam, e.g., inresponse to a wideband signaling timer having expired, and transmit datato the second wireless communications device on the beam identified bythe beam identification signal following transmission of the beamidentification signal.

Memory 1812 includes an assembly of component 1814, e.g., an assembly ofsoftware components, and data/information 1816. Data/information 1816includes UE device information corresponding to a plurality of userequipment devices (UE device 1 information 1817, . . . , UE device Ninformation 1819). In one exemplary embodiment UE device 1 is a secondwireless communications device. UE device 1 information 1817 includes areceived base station transmit beam priority information 1821, e.g., atransmit beam priority list which has been generated by UE device 1 andcommunicated to base station 1800. UE device N information 1819 includesa received base station transmit beam priority information 1923, e.g., atransmit beam priority list which has been generated by UE device N andcommunicated to base station 1800.

FIG. 19 is a drawing of an exemplary second wireless communicationsdevice 1900, e.g., an exemplary user equipment (UE) device in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment. UE device 1900 is, e.g., a cell phone suchas a smart phone, wireless table or wireless notebook. UE device 1900,in some embodiments, includes beam forming capabilities. In someembodiments, exemplary UE device 1900 is a second wirelesscommunications device, e.g., the second wireless communications deviceimplementing the method of flowchart 1500 of FIG. 15. Exemplary UEdevice 1900 includes a wireless interface 1904, a processor 1906, e.g.,a CPU, an assembly of hardware components 1908, e.g., an assembly ofcircuits, and I/O interface 1910 and memory 1912 coupled together via abus 1909 over which the various elements may interchange data andinformation. UE device 1900 further includes a microphone 1950, camera1951, speaker 1952, a display 1953, e.g., a touch screen display,switches 1956, keypad 1958 and mouse 1959 coupled to I/O interface 1910,via which the various I/O devices (1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958,1959) may communicate with other elements (1904, 1906, 1908, 1912) ofthe base station. Network interface 1905 includes a receiver 1978 and atransmitter 1980. In some embodiments, receiver 1978 and transmitter1980 are part of a transceiver 1984. Wireless interface 1904 includes awireless receiver 1938 and a wireless transmitter 1940. In someembodiments, receiver 1938 and transmitter 1940 are part of atransceiver 1924. In various embodiments, wireless interface 1904includes a plurality of wireless receivers and a plurality of wirelesstransmitters. Wireless receiver 1938 is coupled to one or more receiveantennas (receive antenna 1 1939, . . . , receive antenna M 1941), viawhich UE device 1900 can receive wireless signal from other wirelesscommunications devices including a first wireless communications device,e.g., a base station such as BS 1800. Received signals include, e.g.,pilot signals received on a plurality of first wireless communicationsdevice transmit beams, signals, e.g., data signals, transmitted by thefirst wireless communications device on a selected transmit beam, e.g.,a highest priority transmit beam or an alternative beam to whichtransmission has been switched in accordance with beam changing protocolrules and the stored beam priority list, a beam change confirmationsignal from the first wireless communications device, and a widebandbeam signal including information indicating a beam, e.g., a currentlyselected beam which is one of the alternative beams on the beam prioritylist, to be used for transmissions to the second wireless communicationsdevice. Wireless transmitter 1940 is coupled to one or more wirelesstransmit antennas (transmit antenna 1 1943, . . . , transmit antenna N1945) via which the UE device 1900 can transmit signals to otherwireless communications device including a first wireless communicationsdevice, e.g., a base station such as BS 1800. Transmit signals include,e.g., beam priority information, e.g., second wireless communicationsdevice generated first wireless communications device transmit beampriority list, a beam confirmation indicator signal, a beam changesignal, and a radio reconnection request signal.

In some embodiments, wireless receiver 1938 is configured to: receivesignals, e.g., pilot signals form a first wireless communicationsdevice, e.g., a base station which uses multiple beams for transmission,said signals being transmitted by the first wireless communicationsdevice on a plurality of different beams, receive signals transmitted bythe first wireless communications device on the highest priority beamindicated in communicated beam priority information, receive a signalfrom the first wireless communications device on a second beam, saidsecond beam being different from said highest priority beam, receive abeam change confirmation signal directed to the second wirelesscommunications device, receive data signals directed to the secondwireless communications device, receive a signal in a wideband beam fromthe first wireless communications device indicating a beam which will beused by the first wireless communications device to transmit to thesecond wireless communications device.

In some embodiments, wireless transmitter 1940 is configured to:transmit to the first wireless communications device beam priorityinformation, transmit a beam confirmation indicator indicating that thecurrently selected beam, e.g., the highest priority beam, is to continueto be used, e.g., in response to checking determining that a generatedchannel quality indicator is above a channel quality threshold, andcommunicate to the first wireless communications device a beam changesignal indicating that the first wireless communications device shouldswitch to using a second beam for communications with the secondwireless communications device, said second beam being a different beam,e.g., a next lowest priority beam or a previously used beam, than thebeam being currently used, e.g., the highest priority beam, by the firstwireless communications device. In some such embodiments, the wirelesstransmitter 1940 is further configured to: send a radio reconnectionrequest to the first wireless communications device, e.g., in responseto determining that after setting of the RRC timer, a signal from thefirst wireless communications device has not been received by theexpiration of the RRC timer.

Memory 1912 includes an assembly of components 1914, e.g., an assemblyof software components, and data/information 1916. Data/information 1916includes beam quality measurements 1917 and generated base station (BS)transmit beam priority information, e.g., a generated transmit beampriority list based on the beam quality measurements.

FIG. 20 is a drawing of an exemplary assembly of components 2000 whichmay be included in an exemplary first wireless communications device,e.g., exemplary base station 1800 of FIG. 18, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment. The components in the assembly of components 2000can, and in some embodiments are, implemented fully in hardware within aprocessor, e.g., processor 1806, e.g., as individual circuits. Thecomponents in the assembly of components 2000 can, and in someembodiments are, implemented fully in hardware within the assembly ofhardware components 1808, e.g., as individual circuits corresponding tothe different components. In other embodiments some of the componentsare implemented, e.g., as circuits, within processor 1806 with othercomponents being implemented, e.g., as circuits within assembly ofcomponents 1808, external to and coupled to the processor 1806. Asshould be appreciated the level of integration of components on theprocessor and/or with some components being external to the processormay be one of design choice. Alternatively, rather than beingimplemented as circuits, all or some of the components may beimplemented in software and stored in the memory 1812 of the basestation 1800, with the components controlling operation of base station1800 to implement the functions corresponding to the components when thecomponents are executed by a processor e.g., processor 1806. In somesuch embodiments, the assembly of components 2000 is included in thememory 1812 as assembly of software components 1814. In still otherembodiments, various components in assembly of components 2000 areimplemented as a combination of hardware and software, e.g., withanother circuit external to the processor providing input to theprocessor which then under software control operates to perform aportion of a component's function.

When implemented in software the components include code, which whenexecuted by a processor, e.g., processor 1806, configure the processorto implement the function corresponding to the component. In embodimentswhere the assembly of components 2000 is stored in the memory 1812, thememory 1812 is a computer program product comprising a computer readablemedium comprising code, e.g., individual code for each component, forcausing at least one computer, e.g., processor 1806, to implement thefunctions to which the components correspond.

Completely hardware based or completely software based components may beused. However, it should be appreciated that any combination of softwareand hardware, e.g., circuit implemented components may be used toimplement the functions. As should be appreciated, the componentsillustrated in FIG. 20 control and/or configure the base station 1800 orelements therein such as the processor 1806, to perform the functions ofcorresponding steps illustrated and/or described in the method of one ormore of the flowcharts, signaling diagrams and/or described with respectto any of the Figures. Thus the assembly of components 2000 includesvarious components that perform functions of corresponding one or moredescribed and/or illustrated steps of an exemplary method, e.g., one ormore steps of the method of flowchart 1400 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 20, comprising the combination of FIG. 20A, FIG. 20B, FIG. 20C andFIG. 20, is a drawing of an exemplary assembly of components 2000,comprising the combination of Part A 2001, Part B 2003, Part C 2003 andPart D 2005, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. Assembly ofcomponents 2000 is included in an exemplary first wirelesscommunications device, e.g., a base station including beam formingcapabilities.

Assembly of components 2000 includes a component 2004 configured tocontrol a wireless transmitter to transmit signals, e.g., pilot signals,on a plurality of beams, e.g., during a beam prioritization interval, acomponent 2006 configured to control a wireless receiver to receivefirst beam prioritization information, e.g., a prioritized beam list,from a second wireless communications device, e.g., during a beaminformation synchronization time period, and a component 2008 configuredto determine if it is tome to update first beam prioritizationinformation and to control operation as a function of the determination.In some embodiments, a generated prioritized list of beams is updated ona recurring time basis. In various embodiments, the updated list is usedby the first and second wireless communications devices in making beamswitching decisions, e.g., during a subsequent data communicationsinterval which follows the beam information synchronization time period.

Assembly of components 2000 further includes a component 2010 configuredto control a wireless transmitter to transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device using a highest priority beam indicated by thefirst beam prioritization information, a component 2012 configured tostart a first beam confirmation timer, a component 2014 configured tostart a first transmit shutdown timer, and a component 2016 configuredto start a first wideband beam signaling timer. Assembly of components2000 further includes a component 2020 configured to monitor, followingstartup of the first beam confirmation timer, for receipt of a signalindicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission to the secondwireless communications device, said signal being one or a beamconfirmation signal from the second wireless communications device or abeam change signal from the second wireless communications device.Component 2020 includes a component 2024 configured to detect a signalindicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission to the secondwireless communications device, said signal being one or a beamconfirmation signal from the second wireless communications device or abeam change signal from the second wireless communications device.

Assembly of components 2000 further includes a component 2037 configuredto respond to receipt of said signal indicating a transmitter beam to beused for transmission to the second wireless communications device.Component 2037 includes a component 2038 configured to determine if thedetected signal is beam confirmation signal to control operation as afunction of the determination, a component 2039 configured to respond todetection of a beam confirmation signal, a component 2042 configured todetermine if the detected signal is a beam change signal and to controloperation as a function of the determination, a component 2055configured to respond to detection of a beam change signal, and acomponent configured to process the received signal. Component 2039includes a component 2040 configured to use the beam indicated in thebeam confirmation signal for transmission to the second wirelesscommunications device, and a component 2044 configured to control awireless transmitter to transmit to the second wireless communicationsdevice using the beam indicated in the beam confirmation signal. In someembodiments, component 2044 includes a component 2046 configured tocontrol the wireless transmitter to send a beam acknowledgment signal tothe second wireless communications device confirming successful receiptof the beam confirmation signal. Component 2039 further includes acomponent 2048 configured to restart the first beam confirmation timer,a component 2050 configured to restart the first transmit shutdowntimer, a component 2052 configured to restart the first widebandsignaling timer, and a component 2054 configured to control a wirelesstransmitter to transmit to the second wireless communications deviceusing the beam indicated in the beam confirmation signal.

Component 2055 includes a component 2056 configured to switch to using anew beam indicated in the beam change signal for transmission to thesecond wireless communications device, and a component 2060 configuredto control a wireless transmitter to transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device using the new beam. Component 2060 includes acomponent 2062 configured to control a wireless transmitter to send abeam acknowledgement signal to the second wireless communications deviceconfirming successful receipt of the beam change signal. Component 2055further includes a component 2064 configured to restart the first beamconfirmation timer, a component 2066 configured to restart the firsttransmit shutdown timer, a component 2068 configured to restart thefirst wideband signaling timer, and a component 2070 configured tocontrol a wireless transmitter to transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device using the beam indicated in the beam changesignal.

Assembly of components 2000 further includes a component 2024 configuredto determine if the first beam confirmation timer has expired withoutreceipt of a signal indicating a transmission beam to be used fortransmission to the second wireless communications device. Component2024 includes a component 2072 configured to determine if the first beamconfirmation timer has reached a first beam confirmation timerexpiration value and to control operation as a function of thedetermination, a component 2074 configured to determine that the firstbeam confirmation timer has not expired, e.g., in response to adetermination that the first beam confirmation time has not reached tothe first beam confirmation timer expiration value, and a component 2076configured to determine that the first beam confirmation timer hasexpired, e.g., in response to a determination that the first beamconfirmation timer has reached the first beam confirmation timerexpiration value. Assembly of components 2000 further includes acomponent 2078 configured to control a wireless transmitter to continuetransmitting on the currently selected beam, e.g., in response to adetermination that the first beam confirmation timer has not expired, acomponent 2080 configured to select which of a plurality of alternativebeam to be used based on a predetermined beam selection process known tothe second wireless communications device, e.g., in response to adetermination that the first beam confirmation timer has expired, and acomponent 2081 configured to switch to an alternative beam, e.g., thesecond alternative beam, for transmission to the second wirelesscommunications device when it is determined that the first beamconformation timer has expired without receipt of a signal indicatingthe transmitter beam to be used for transmissions to the second wirelesscommunications device. In some embodiments, the beam to which the switchis made is one of the next priority beam indicated by the first beamprioritization information (e.g., next lowest priority beam) or a beampreviously used for communicating with the second communications device.

Assembly of components 2000 further includes a component 2028 configuredto determine if the first transmit shutdown timer has expired. Component2028 includes a component 2082 configured to determine if the firsttransmit shutdown timer has reached a first transmit shutdown timerexpiration value and to control operation as a function of thedetermination, a component 2083 configured to determine that the firsttransmit shutdown timer has not expired, e.g., in response to adetermination that the first transmit shutdown timer has not reached thefirst transmit shutdown timer expiration value, and a component 2084configured to determine that the first transmit shutdown timer hasexpired, e.g., in response to a determination that the first transmitshutdown timer has reached the first transmit shutdown timer expirationvalue. Assembly of components 2000 further includes a component 2085configured to control a wireless transmitter to continue transmitting onthe currently selected beam, e.g., in response to a determination thefirst transmit shutdown has not expired, and a component 2086 configuredto stop data transmission to second wireless communications device untilestablishment of a new radio connection with the second wirelesscommunications device, e.g., in response to a determination that thefirst transmit shutdown time has expired.

Assembly of components 2000 further includes a component 2032 configuredto determine if the first wideband signaling timer has expired.Component 2032 includes a component 2087 configured to determine if thefirst wideband signaling timer has reached a first wideband signalingtimer expiration value and to control operation as a function of thedetermination, a component 2088 configured to determine that the firstwideband signaling timer has not expired, e.g., in response to adetermination that the first wideband signaling timer has reached thefirst wideband signaling timer expiration value, and a component 2089configured to determine that the first wideband signaling timer hasexpired, e.g., in response to a determination that the first widebandsignaling timer has reached the first wideband signaling timerexpiration value. Assembly of components 2000 further includes acomponent 2090 configured to control a wireless transmitter to continuetransmitting on the currently selected beam in response to adetermination that the first wideband signaling timer has not expired,and a component 2091 configured to control a wireless transmitter totransmit a beam identification signal to the second wirelesscommunications device using a wideband signal, said beam identificationsignal identifying a beam which will be used by the first wirelesscommunications device to transmit to the second wireless communicationsdevice, e.g. in response to a determination that the first widebandsignaling timer has expired, and a component 2092 configured to controla wireless transmitter to transmit data to the second wirelesscommunications device on the beam identified by the beam identificationsignal. In some embodiments, said wideband beam is a beam which spans anarea covered by multiple different beams indicated in said first beamprioritization information and which uses the same frequency band usedby the beams listed in the first beam prioritization information. Insome such embodiments, the wideband beam covers the area of at least thelast beam used to communicate with the second wireless communicationsdevice and two physically adjacent beams included in the first beamprioritization information (e.g., a left and right beam).

In one exemplary embodiments components 2006 is included as part of awireless receiver controller, which is a hardware device, which controlsa wireless receiver, e.g., wireless receiver 1838 of first wirelesscommunications device 1800. In one exemplary embodiments components(2004, 2010, 2044, 2046, 2054, 2060, 2062, 2070, 2078, 2085, 2090, 2091,2092) are included as part of a wireless transmitter controller, whichis a hardware device, which controls a wireless transmitter, e.g.,wireless transmitter 1840 of first wireless communications device 1800.

FIG. 21 is a drawing of an exemplary assembly of components 2100 whichmay be included in an exemplary second wireless communications device,e.g., exemplary user equipment device, 1900 of FIG. 19, in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment. The components in the assembly ofcomponents 2100 can, and in some embodiments are, implemented fully inhardware within a processor, e.g., processor 1906, e.g., as individualcircuits. The components in the assembly of components 2100 can, and insome embodiments are, implemented fully in hardware within the assemblyof hardware components 1908, e.g., as individual circuits correspondingto the different components. In other embodiments some of the componentsare implemented, e.g., as circuits, within processor 1906 with othercomponents being implemented, e.g., as circuits within assembly ofcomponents 1908, external to and coupled to the processor 1906. Asshould be appreciated the level of integration of components on theprocessor and/or with some components being external to the processormay be one of design choice. Alternatively, rather than beingimplemented as circuits, all or some of the components may beimplemented in software and stored in the memory 1912 of the UE device1900, with the components controlling operation of UE device 1900 toimplement the functions corresponding to the components when thecomponents are executed by a processor e.g., processor 1906. In somesuch embodiments, the assembly of components 2100 is included in thememory 1912 as assembly of software components 1914. In still otherembodiments, various components in assembly of components 2100 areimplemented as a combination of hardware and software, e.g., withanother circuit external to the processor providing input to theprocessor which then under software control operates to perform aportion of a component's function.

When implemented in software the components include code, which whenexecuted by a processor, e.g., processor 1906, configure the processorto implement the function corresponding to the component. In embodimentswhere the assembly of components 2100 is stored in the memory 1912, thememory 1912 is a computer program product comprising a computer readablemedium comprising code, e.g., individual code for each component, forcausing at least one computer, e.g., processor 1906, to implement thefunctions to which the components correspond.

Completely hardware based or completely software based components may beused. However, it should be appreciated that any combination of softwareand hardware, e.g., circuit implemented components may be used toimplement the functions. As should be appreciated, the componentsillustrated in FIG. 21 control and/or configure the UE device 1900 orelements therein such as the processor 1906, to perform the functions ofcorresponding steps illustrated and/or described in the method of one ormore of the flowcharts, signaling diagrams and/or described with respectto any of the Figures. Thus the assembly of components 2100 includesvarious components that perform functions of corresponding one or moredescribed and/or illustrated steps of an exemplary method, e.g., one ormore steps of the method of flowchart 1500 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 21, comprising the combination of FIG. 21A, FIG. 21B and FIG. 21C,is a drawing of an exemplary assembly of components 2100, comprising thecombination of Part A 2101, Part B 2103 and Part C 2103, in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment. Assembly of components 2100 is included inan exemplary second wireless communications device, e.g., a userequipment device. Assembly of components 2100 includes a component 2104configured to control a wireless receiver to receive signals, e.g.,pilot signals, from a first wireless communications device, said signalsbeing transmitted by the first wireless communications device on aplurality of different beams, a component 2106 configured to generatefor each of the different beams on which a signal is received a channelquality indicator, a component 2108 configured to prioritize the beams,and a component 2110 configured to control a wireless transmitter totransmit to the first wireless communications device beam priorityinformation, e.g., a generated transmit beam priority list. Component2108 prioritizes the beams based on the generated channel qualityindicators corresponding to the different beams. In some embodiments,component 2108 prioritizes the beams based on the generated channelquality indicators corresponding to multiple beam prioritization timeintervals, e.g., with channel quality indicators from a more recent beamprioritization interval being weighed greater than channel qualityindicators from an older beam prioritization interval. In someembodiments, component 2108 generates a transmit beam priority list. Insome embodiments, e.g., an embodiment, in which the second wirelesscommunications device supports receive beam forming, component 2108generates a prioritized list of transmit/receive beam pairs.

Assembly of components 2100 further includes a component 2110 configuredto control a wireless transmitter to transmit to the first wirelesscommunications device beam priority information, e.g., a generated beampriority list identifying the determined, e.g., second wirelesscommunication's device determined, priority of different alternativebeams that may be used to transmit from the first wirelesscommunications device to the second wireless communications device.Assembly of components 2100 further includes a component 2112 configuredto control a wireless receiver to receive signals transmitted by thefirst wireless communications device using a highest priority beamindicated in the communicated beam priority information, a component2114 configured to generate a channel quality indicator (CQI) from thereceived signals for the communications channel corresponding to thehighest priority beam, a component 2116 configured to check the channelquality indicator to confirm that the channel quality indicator is abovea channel quality threshold, and a component 2118 configured to controloperation as a function of whether or not the check determined that thegenerated channel quality indicator is above the channel qualitythreshold. Assembly of components 2100 further includes a component 2120configured to control a wireless transmitter to transmit a beamconfirmation indicator indicating that the highest priority beam is tocontinue to be used, e.g., in response to a determination that thegenerated channel quality indicator is above the channel qualitythreshold. In some embodiments, component 2120 controls a wirelesstransmitter to transmit a confirmation indicator at least once during apredetermined monitoring time interval when the channel quality of thecurrently used beam remains above the predetermined threshold. In somesuch embodiments, the transmission is periodic, e.g., with a timeinterval between successive beam confirmation indicator signaltransmissions of T0.

Assembly of components 2100 further includes a component 2124 configuredto detect a communications loss corresponding to the highest prioritybeam or a degradation of a channel corresponding to the higher prioritybeam, a component 2128 configured to control a wireless transmitter tocommunicate to the first wireless communications device a beam changesignal indicating that the first wireless communications device shouldswitch to using a second beam for communications with the secondwireless communications device, said second beam being different fromsaid highest priority beam, said second beam being either a beam havingthe next lowest priority or being a previously used beam, e.g., inresponse to a detection by component 2124. Assembly of components 2100further includes a component 2130 configured to set a channel switchtimer when the beam change signal is sent to the first wirelesscommunications device, a component 2132 configured to set a widebandbeam switch timer when the beam change signal is sent to the firstwireless communications device, and a component 2134 configured to set aRRC timer when the beam change signal is sent to the first wirelesscommunications device.

Assembly of components 2100 further includes a component 2136 configuredto monitor for receipt of a signal, e.g., a beam change confirmationsignal or a data signal directed to the second wireless communicationsdevice, from the first wireless communications device in the secondbeam, a component 2138 configured to determine if the monitoring ofcomponent 2136 detected the signal and to control operation as afunction of the determination. Assembly of components 2100 furtherincludes a component 2140 configured to control a wireless receiver toreceive signals on the second beam, a component 2142 configured to shutoff the channel switch timer, wideband switch timer, and RRC timer,e.g., in response to the detected signal in the second beam, and acomponent 2144 configured to control a wireless transmitter to transmita beam confirmation indicator indicating that the second beam is tocontinue to be used, e.g., in response to detected signals in the secondbeam exceeding a channel quality threshold level. Assembly of components2100 further includes a component 2146 configured to switch back to thehighest priority beam from the second beam in response to saidmonitoring failing to detect said signal from the first wirelesscommunications device on the second beam, e.g., by the expiration of thechannel switch timer, and a component 2138 configured to monitor forreceipt of a signal, e.g., a beam change confirmation signal or a datasignal directed to the second wireless communications device from thefirst wireless communications device.

Assembly of components 2100 further includes a component 2152 configuredto determine if a signal from the first wireless communications devicehas not been received by the expiration of the wideband switch timer anda component 2154 configured to control operation as a function of thedetermination if the signal from the first wireless communicationsdevice has not been received by the expiration of the wideband beamswitch timer. Assembly of components 2100 further includes a component2156 configured to control a wireless receiver to receive signals on thebeam indicated in or by indicated by the received signal, e.g., when abeam change confirmation signal or a data signal directed to the secondcommunications device from the first wireless communications device hasbeen received by the second wireless communications device before theexpiration of the wideband switch timer, a component 2168 configured toshut off the channel switch timer, wideband switch timer and RRC timer,e.g., in response to the received signal detected by the monitoring ofstep 1548, and a component 2160 configured to control a wirelesstransmitter to transmit a beam confirmation indicator indicating thatthe beam indicated in the received signal is to be used.

Assembly of component 2100 further includes a component 2162 configuredto switch to monitoring a wideband beam for a signal from the firstwireless communications device indicating a beam which will be used bythe first wireless communications device to transmit to the secondwireless communications device, a component 2164 configured to determineif a signal from the first wireless communications device has not beenreceived by the expiration of the RRC timer, and a component 2166configured to control operation as a function of the determination ifthe signal from the first wireless communications device was notreceived by the expiration of the RRC timer. Assembly of components 2100further includes a component 2168 configured to control a wirelessreceiver to receive signals on the beam indicated in the receivedwideband beam signal, a component 2170 configured to shut off the RRCtimer, e.g., in response to a determination that the signal from thefirst wireless communications device was received before the expirationof the RRC timer, and a component 2172 configured to control a wirelesstransmitter to transmit a beam confirmation indicator indicating thatthe beam indicated in the received wideband beam signal is to be used.Assembly of components 2100 further includes a component 2174 configuredto control a wireless transmitter to send a radio reconnection request,e.g., a radio resource control (RRC) message used to request radioreconnection, to the first wireless communications device, e.g., inresponse to a determination, e.g., by component 2164, that the RRC timerexpired without the second wireless communications device receiving thesignal from the first wireless communications device.

In some embodiments, said first beam confirmation timer has a firstduration Tc, said first beam shutdown timer has a second duration Ts,and said first wideband beam signaling timer has a third duration Twbi;and TC<Twbi<TS.

In one exemplary embodiments components (2104, 2112, 2140, 2156, 2168)are included as part of a wireless receiver controller, which is ahardware device, which controls a wireless receiver, e.g., wirelessreceiver 1938 of second wireless communications device 1900. In oneexemplary embodiments components (2110, 2120, 2128, 2144, 2160, 2172,2174) are included as part of a wireless transmitter controller, whichis a hardware device, which controls a wireless transmitter, e.g.,wireless transmitter 1940 of second wireless communications device 1900.

FIG. 22 is a drawing of exemplary data/information 1816 which may beincluded in a first wireless communications device, e.g., exemplaryfirst wireless communications device 1800 of FIG. 18, e.g., a basestation supporting beam forming, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment. Data/information 1816 includes a plurality of sets ofdata/information corresponding to other wireless communications devicesto which the first communications device transmits (second wirelesscommunications device, e.g., user device 1 data/information 1817, . . ., user device N data/information 1817). Second wireless communicationsdevice data/information 1817 includes timing structure information 2202,beam switching rules and/or protocol 2203, generated reference signals2204, e.g., pilot signals to be transmitted on a plurality of differentbeams, received base station transmit beam priority information, e.g., areceived base station transmit beam priority list for transmissions tothe second wireless communications device 1821, generated data signalsto be transmitted to the second wireless communications device on thehighest priority beam 2206, beam confirmation timer information 2208,e.g., current status of the beam confirmation timer and a beamconfirmation timer expiration time value, beam transmit shutdown timerinformation 2210, e.g., current status of the beam transmit shutdowntimer and a beam transmit timer expiration value, and wideband beamtimer information 2212, e.g., current status of the wideband beam timerand a wideband beam timer expiration value. Second wirelesscommunications device data/information 1817 further includes a detectedbeam confirmation signal from the second wireless communications device2214, a generated confirmation acknowledgment signal 2216, a detectedbeam change signal from the second wireless communications device 2218,a generated beam change acknowledgment signal 2220, generated datasignals to be transmitted on a second beam 2222, a generated beamidentification signal to be communicated in a wideband beam to thesecond wireless communications device 2224, and a received radioreconnection request signal from the second wireless communicationsdevice.

FIG. 23 is a drawing of exemplary data/information 1916, which may beincluded in a second wireless communications device, e.g., secondwireless communications device 1900 of FIG. 19, e.g., a user equipmentdevice, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. Data/information1916 includes timing structure information 2302, beam switching rulesand/or protocol 2303, received reference signals, e.g., pilot signalscorresponding to a plurality of different beams 2304, generated beamquality measurement information 1917, and generated beam priorityinformation, e.g., a generated beam priority list 1919. Received beam 1reference signals 2304 includes received reference signals correspondingto a plurality of different alternative transmit beams from the firstwireless communications device (received beam 1 reference signals 2306,. . . , received beam N reference signals 2308). Generated beam qualitymeasurement information 1917 includes beam quality measurementinformation corresponding to the plurality of alternative beams fromwhich reference signals were received (beam 1 information 2310, . . . ,beam N information 2312. Beam 1 information 2310 includes a beam 1 RSSI2314, a beam 1 SNR 2316, an a beam 1 channel quality indicator 2318generated from the beam 1 RSSI and/or beam 1 SNR. Beam N information2312 includes a beam N RSSI 2320, a beam N SNR 2322, an a beam N channelquality indicator 2324 generated from the beam N RSSI and/or beam N SNR.The generated beam priority information 1919, e.g., a prioritized listof first wireless communications device transmit beams for transmissionfrom the first wireless communications device to the second wirelesscommunications device, is, in some embodiments, generated based on thegenerated beam quality indicators (2318, . . . , 2324). The generatedbeam priority information 1919 is transmitted to the first wirelesscommunications device.

Data/information 1916 further includes received signals directed to thesecond wireless communications device on the highest priority beamindicated in generated beam priority information 2326, a generatedchannel quality indicator 2328 based on the received signals 2326, and achannel quality threshold value 2330, e.g., a test limit used toevaluate if signals received on the currently in use beam are ofacceptable quality, a generated beam confirmation signal 2334, e.g., asignal sent, e.g., periodically, to indicate that a currently in usebeam is being received and is of acceptable quality, and a generatedbeam change signal 2334, e.g., a signal indicating that the secondwireless communications device wants the first wireless communicationsdevice to transmit to the second wireless communications device on anew, e.g., different, beam which is indicated in the beam change signal.Data/information 1916 further includes channel switch timer information2336, e.g., channel switch timer status and information indicating theduration of the channel switch timer, wideband switch timer information2338, e.g., information indicating the status of the wideband switchtimer and information indicating the duration of the wideband switchtimer, and RRC timer information 2340, e.g., information indicating thestatus of the RRC timer and information indicating the duration of theRRC timer. Data/information 1916 further includes a detected beam changeconfirmation signal 2342, detected data signals on a second beam 2344,e.g., detected signals on a beam requested in a previously transmittedbeam change signal, a detected wideband beam signal indicating a beam tobe used for transmitting to the second wireless communications device2346, detected signals on a beam indicated in a received wideband beamsignal, and a generated radio reconnection request signals 2350.

Multiple lists of sets of exemplary numbered embodiments are includedbelow. The embodiment numbering used in each list refers to thatparticular set.

List of First Set of Exemplary Numbered Method Embodiments

Method Embodiment 1 A method of operating a first wirelesscommunications device (e.g. a device, such as a base station, supportingan active antenna system capable of forming and/or using a plurality ofdifferent antenna beam patterns), the method comprising: receiving(1406) first beam prioritization information (e.g. a prioritized beamlist) from a second wireless communications device (e.g., first UE towhich the BS transmits where the UE may be a mobile device such as acell phone or a fixed device such as a personal computer or other deviceat a customer premise); transmit (1410) to the second wirelesscommunications device using a highest priority beam indicated by thefirst beam prioritization information; starting (1412) a first beamconfirmation timer; determining (1424) if the first beam confirmationtimer has expired without receipt of a signal, (e.g., a beamconfirmation signal or a beam change signal) indicating a transmitterbeam to be used for transmission to the second wireless communicationsdevice, having been received from the second wireless communicationsdevice; and switching (1481) to an alternative beam for transmissions tothe second wireless communications device when it is determined that thefirst beam confirmation timer has expired without receipt of a signalindicating the transmitter beam to be used for transmission to thesecond wireless communications device.

Method Embodiment 2 The method of Method Embodiment 1, wherein the beamto which the switch is made is one of the next priority beam indicatedby the first beam prioritization information (e.g., next lowest prioritybeam) or a beam previously used for communicating with the secondcommunications device.

Method Embodiment 3 The method of Method Embodiment 2, furthercomprising: selecting (1480) which of a plurality of possiblealternative beams to used based on a predetermined beam selectionprocess known to the second wireless communications device (e.g., ifthere was a good previous beam known to the BS and UE use the last goodbeam otherwise switch to the next highest priority beam indicated in thefirst beam prioritization information).

Method Embodiment 4 The method of Method Embodiment 1, furthercomprising: monitoring (1420), following starting of the first beamconfirmation timer, for receipt of said signal indicating a transmitterbeam to be used for transmission to the second wireless communicationsdevice, said signal being one of a beam confirmation signal from thesecond wireless communications device or a beam change signal from thesecond wireless communications device; and responding (1437) to receiptof said signal indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmissionto the second wireless communications device by restarting (1448 or1464) the first beam confirmation timer.

Method Embodiment 5 The method of Method Embodiment 4, whereinresponding (1437) to receipt of said signal indicating a transmitterbeam to be use for transmission to the second wireless communicationsdevice further includes: performing one of: i) responding (1455) todetection of a beam change signal from the second wirelesscommunications device by switching (1456) to using the a new beamindicated in the received beam change signal for transmissions to thesecond wireless communications device and transmitting to the secondwireless communications device using the new beam; or ii) responding(1439) to detection of a beam confirmation signal from the secondwireless communications device by continuing (1440) to use the beamindicated in the beam confirmation signal for transmission to the secondwireless communications device.

Method Embodiment 6 The method of Method Embodiment 5, whereinresponding (1437) to receipt of said signal indicating a transmitterbeam to be use for transmission to the second wireless communicationsdevice further includes: sending a beam acknowledgement signal (1446 or1462) to the second wireless communications device confirming successfulreceipt of the signal indicating the beam to be used for communicatingto the second wireless communications device (e.g., on the beamindicated in the received signal which will be a new beam if a beamchange was received or the old beam if simply a beam confirmation wasreceived).

Method Embodiment 7 The method of Method Embodiment 5, furthercomprising; starting (1414, 1450, 1466) a first transmit shutdown timereach time said first beam confirmation timer is started; and determining(1428) if the first transmit shutdown timer has expired (e.g., withoutsaid signal indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission tothe second wireless communications device having been received); andstopping (1486) data transmission to said second wireless communicationsdevice until establishment of a new radio connection with the secondwireless communications device.

Method Embodiment 8 The method of Method Embodiment 7, furthercomprising: starting (1416, 1452, 1468) a first wideband beam signalingtimer each time said first beam confirmation timer is started;determining (1432) if the first wideband signaling timer has expired(e.g., without said signal indicating a transmitter beam to be used fortransmission to the second wireless communications device having beenreceived) and in response the first wideband signaling timer havingexpired (1489), transmitting (1491)a beam identification signal to thesecond communications device using a wideband beam, said beamidentification signal identifying (e.g., indicating) a beam which willbe used by the first wireless communications device to transmit to thesecond wireless communications device.

Method Embodiment 9 The method of Method Embodiment 8, wherein saidwideband beam is a beam which spans an area covered by multipledifferent beams indicated in said first beam prioritization informationand which uses the same frequency band used by the beams listed in thefirst beam prioritization information.

Method Embodiment 10 The method of Method Embodiment 9, wherein thewideband beam covers the area of at least the last beam used tocommunicate with the second wireless communications device and twophysically adjacent beams included in the first beam prioritizationinformation (e.g., a left and right beam).

Method Embodiment 11 The method of Method Embodiment 8, furthercomprising: following transmission of the beam identification signal tothe second wireless communications device, transmitting (1492) data tothe second wireless communications device on the beam indentified bysaid beam identifier signal.

Method Embodiment 12 The method of Method Embodiment 11, wherein saidfirst beam confirmation timer has a first duration Tc, said first beamshutdown timer has a second duration Ts and where said first widebandbeam signaling timer has a third duration Twbi; and where TC<Twbi<TS.

List of First Set of Exemplary Numbered Apparatus Embodiments

Apparatus Embodiment 1 A first wireless communications device (1800)(e.g. a device, such as a base station, supporting an active antennasystem capable of forming and/or using a plurality of different antennabeam patterns), the first wireless communications device comprising: aprocessor (1806) configured to: control a wireless receiver (1938) toreceive (1406) first beam prioritization information (e.g. a prioritizedbeam list) from a second wireless communications device (1900) (e.g.,first UE to which the BS transmits where the UE may be a mobile devicesuch as a cell phone or a fixed device such as a personal computer orother device at a customer premise); control a wireless transmitter(1840) to transmit (1410) to the second wireless communications deviceusing a highest priority beam indicated by the first beam prioritizationinformation; start (1412) a first beam confirmation timer; determine(1424) if the first beam confirmation timer has expired without receiptof a signal, (e.g., a beam confirmation signal or a beam change signal)indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission to the secondwireless communications device, having been received from the secondwireless communications device; and switch (1481) to an alternative beamfor transmissions to the second wireless communications device when itis determined that the first beam confirmation timer has expired withoutreceipt of a signal indicating the transmitter beam to be used fortransmission to the second wireless communications device.

Apparatus Embodiment 2 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 1, wherein the beam to which the switch is madeis one of the next priority beam indicated by the first beamprioritization information (e.g., next lowest priority beam) or a beampreviously used for communicating with the second communications device(1900).

Apparatus Embodiment 3 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 2, wherein said processor (1806) is furtherconfigured to: select (1480) which of a plurality of possiblealternative beams to used based on a predetermined beam selectionprocess known to the second wireless communications device (e.g., ifthere was a good previous beam known to the BS and UE use the last goodbeam otherwise switch to the next highest priority beam indicated in thefirst beam prioritization information).

Apparatus Embodiment 4 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 1, wherein said processor (1806) is furtherconfigured to: monitor (1420), following starting of the first beamconfirmation timer, for receipt of said signal indicating a transmitterbeam to be used for transmission to the second wireless communicationsdevice, said signal being one of a beam confirmation signal from thesecond wireless communications device or a beam change signal from thesecond wireless communications device; and respond (1437) to receipt ofsaid signal indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission tothe second wireless communications device by restarting (1448 or 1464)the first beam confirmation timer.

Apparatus Embodiment 5 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 4, said processor (1806) is configured tocontrol the first wireless communications device (1800) to perform oneof i) responding (1455) to detection of a beam change signal from thesecond wireless communications device by switching (1456) to using the anew beam indicated in the received beam change signal for transmissionsto the second wireless communications device and transmitting to thesecond wireless communications device using the new beam; or ii)responding (1439) to detection of a beam confirmation signal from thesecond wireless communications device by continuing (1440) to use thebeam indicated in the beam confirmation signal for transmission to thesecond wireless communications device, as part of being configured torespond (1437) to receipt of said signal indicating a transmitter beamto be use for transmission to the second wireless communications devicefurther includes:

Apparatus Embodiment 6 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 5, wherein said processor (1806) is configuredto: send a beam acknowledgement signal (1446 or 1462) to the secondwireless communications device confirming successful receipt of thesignal indicating the beam to be used for communicating to the secondwireless communications device (e.g., on beam indicated in the receivedsignal which will be a new beam if a beam change was received or the oldbeam if simply a beam confirmation was received), as part of beingconfigured to respond (1437) to receipt of said signal indicating atransmitter beam to be use for transmission to the second wirelesscommunications device.

Apparatus Embodiment 7 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 5, wherein said processor (1806) is furtherconfigured to: start (1414, 1450, 1466) a first transmit shutdown timereach time said first beam confirmation timer is started; and determine(1428) if the first transmit shutdown timer has expired (e.g., withoutsaid signal indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission tothe second wireless communications device having been received); andstop (1486) data transmission to said second wireless communicationsdevice until establishment of a new radio connection with the secondwireless communications device.

Apparatus Embodiment 8 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 7, wherein said processor (1806) is furtherconfigured to: start (1416, 1452, 1468) a first wideband beam signalingtimer each time said first beam confirmation timer is started; determine(1432) if the first wideband signaling timer has expired (e.g., withoutsaid signal indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission tothe second wireless communications device having been received) and inresponse the first wideband signaling timer having expired (1489),control said transmitter (1840) to transmit (1491) a beam identificationsignal to the second communications device using a wideband beam, saidbeam identification signal identifying (e.g., indicating) a beam whichwill be used by the first wireless communications device to transmit tothe second wireless communications device.

Apparatus Embodiment 9 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 8, wherein said wideband beam is a beam whichspans an area covered by multiple different beams indicated in saidfirst beam prioritization information and which uses the same frequencyband used by the beams listed in the first beam prioritizationinformation.

Apparatus Embodiment 10 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 9, wherein the wideband beam covers the area ofat least the last beam used to communicate with the second wirelesscommunications device and two physically adjacent beams included in thefirst beam prioritization information (e.g., a left and right beam).

Apparatus Embodiment 11 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 8, wherein said processor (1806) is furtherconfigured to: control said transmitter (1840) to transmit (1492),following transmission of the beam identification signal to the secondwireless communications device, data to the second wirelesscommunications device on the beam indentified by said beam identifiersignal.

Apparatus Embodiment 12 The first wireless communications device (1800)of Apparatus Embodiment 11, wherein said first beam confirmation timerhas a first duration Tc, said first beam shutdown timer has a secondduration Ts and wherein said first wideband beam signaling timer has athird duration Twbi; and wherein TC<Twbi<TS.

First Set of Exemplary Computer Readable Medium Embodiments

Computer Readable Medium Embodiment 1 A non-transitory computer readablemedium including computer executable instructions which when executed bya processor of a first wireless communications device (e.g. a device,such as a base station, supporting an active antenna system capable offorming and/or using a plurality of different antenna beam patterns)cause the first wireless communications device to perform the steps of:receiving (1406) first beam prioritization information (e.g. aprioritized beam list) from a second wireless communications device(e.g., first UE to which the BS transmits where the UE may be a mobiledevice such as a cell phone or a fixed device such as a personalcomputer or other device at a customer premise); transmit (1410) to thesecond wireless communications device using a highest priority beamindicated by the first beam prioritization information; starting (1412)a first beam confirmation timer; determining (1424) if the first beamconfirmation timer has expired without receipt of a signal, (e.g., abeam confirmation signal or a beam change signal) indicating atransmitter beam to be used for transmission to the second wirelesscommunications device, having been received from the second wirelesscommunications device; and switching (1481) to an alternative beam fortransmissions to the second wireless communications device when it isdetermined that the first beam confirmation timer has expired withoutreceipt of a signal indicating the transmitter to beam to be used fortransmission to the second wireless communications device.

In some embodiments, for a receiver device three timers are used all ofwhich are set upon the receiver device sending a beam change command. Insome such embodiments, the three timers are: (1) a switch back (SB)timer, (2) a wide beam switch (WBS) timer, and (3) an RRC timer. Theswitch back timer, which is set upon sending a beam change, is used tocontrol switching, e.g., back to previous beam from which switch wasmade or to another beam. The wide beam switch timer is used to trigger aswitch to wide beam to detect beam change signal from transmitterdevice. The RRC timer is used to trigger radio reconnection after lossof communication with transmitter device, e.g., due to a switch to a newbeam that the transmitter was unsuccessful in changing to. In some suchembodiment, the SB timer<WBS timer<RRC timer.

List of Second Set of Exemplary Numbered Method Embodiments

Method Embodiment 1 A method of operating a second wirelesscommunications device in communications with a first wirelesscommunications device which uses multiple beams for transmission, themethod comprising: receiving (1504) signals (e.g., pilot signals) fromthe first wireless communications device, said signals being transmittedby the first wireless communications device on a plurality differentbeams; generating (1506) for each of the different beams on which asignal is received, a channel quality indicator (e.g., CQI in the formof an RSSI or SNR); prioritizing (1508) the beams; and transmitting(1510) to the first wireless communications device beam priorityinformation (e.g., a ranked list showing the second wirelesscommunications device's priority ordering of beams from which signalswere received).

Method Embodiment 2 The method of Method Embodiment 1, furthercomprising: receiving (1512) signals transmitted by the first wirelesscommunications device using a highest priority beam indicated in thecommunicated beam priority information; generating (1514) a channelquality indicator (CQI) from the received signals for the communicationschannel corresponding to the highest priority beam; checking (1516) thechannel quality indicator to confirm it is above a channel qualitythreshold; and transmitting (1520) a beam confirmation indicatorindicating that the highest priority beam is to continue to be used inresponse to said checking determining that the generated channel qualityindicator is above said channel quality threshold.

Method Embodiment 3 The method of Method Embodiment 2, furthercomprising: detecting (1524) a communications loss corresponding to thehighest priority beam (e.g., failure to receive signals on the beam asmay be indicated by a complete failure or packet loss) or a degradationof a channel corresponding to the highest priority beam (e.g., asindicated by an additional CQI generated from another received signal ora low SNR of the communications channel corresponding to the highestpriority beam); and communicating (1528) to the first wirelesscommunications device a beam change signal indicating the first wirelesscommunications device should switch to using of a second beam forcommunications with the second wireless communications device, saidsecond beam being a different beam than said highest priority beam, saidsecond beam being either a beam having the next lowest priority or apreviously used beam.

Method Embodiment 4 The method of Method Embodiment 3, furthercomprising: setting (1530) a channel switch timer when the beam changesignal is sent to the first wireless communications device; monitoring(1536) for the receipt of a signal from the first wirelesscommunications device on said second beam; and switching (1546) back tothe highest priority beam from said second beam in response to saidmonitoring failing to detect said signal from the first wirelesscommunications device on said second beam.

Method Embodiment 5. The method of Method Embodiment 4, wherein saidsignal from the first wireless communications device on said second beamfor which said monitoring is performed is one of a beam changeconfirmation signal or a data signal directed to the second wirelesscommunications device.

Method Embodiment 6 The method of Method Embodiment 4, furthercomprising: setting (1532) a wideband beam switch timer when the beamchange signal is sent to the first wireless communications device;determining (1552) if, after setting of the of the wideband beam switchtimer, a signal from the first communications device has not beenreceived by expiration of the wideband beam switch timer; and inresponse to determining that, after setting of the wideband beam switchtimer, a signal from the wireless first communications device has notbeen received by expiration of the wideband beam switch timer, switching(1562) to monitoring a wideband beam for a signal from the firstwireless communications device indicating a beam which will be used bythe first wireless communications device to transmit to the secondwireless communications device.

Method Embodiment 7 The method of Method Embodiment 6, furthercomprising: setting (1534) a RRC timer when the beam change signal issent to the first wireless communications device; determining (1564) if,after setting of the RRC timer, a signal from the first wirelesscommunications device has not been received by expiration of the RRCtimer; and in response to determining that, after setting of the RRCtimer, a signal from the first communications device has not beenreceived by expiration of the RRC timer, sending (1574) a radioreconnection request to the first wireless communications device.

List of Second Set of Exemplary Numbered Apparatus Embodiments

Apparatus Embodiment 1 A second wireless communications device (1900) incommunications with a first wireless communications device (1800), whichuses multiple beams for transmission, the second wireless communicationsdevice comprising: a processor (1906) configured to: control a wirelessreceiver (1938) to receive (1504) signals (e.g., pilot signals) from thefirst wireless communications device, said signals being transmitted bythe first wireless communications device on a plurality different beams;generate (1506) for each of the different beams on which a signal isreceived, a channel quality indicator (e.g., CQI in the form of an RSSIor SNR); prioritize (1508) the beams; and control a wireless transmitter(1940) to transmit (1510) to the first wireless communications devicebeam priority information (e.g., a ranked list showing the secondwireless communications device's priority ordering of beams from whichsignals were received).

Apparatus Embodiment 2 The second wireless communications device (1900)of Apparatus Embodiment 1, wherein said processor (1906) is furtherconfigured to: control said wireless receiver (1938) to receive (1512)signals transmitted by the first wireless communications device using ahighest priority beam indicated in the communicated beam priorityinformation; generate (1514) a channel quality indicator (CQI) from thereceived signals for the communications channel corresponding to thehighest priority beam; check (1516) the channel quality indicator toconfirm it is above a channel quality threshold; and control saidwireless transmitter (1940) to transmit (1520) a beam confirmationindicator indicating that the highest priority beam is to continue to beused in response to said checking determining that the generated channelquality indicator is above said channel quality threshold.

Apparatus Embodiment 3 The second wireless communications device (1900)of Apparatus Embodiment 2, wherein said processor (1906) is furtherconfigured to: detect (1524) a communications loss corresponding to thehighest priority beam (e.g., failure to receive signals on the beam asmay be indicated by a complete failure or packet loss) or a degradationof a channel corresponding to the highest priority beam (e.g., asindicated by an additional CQI generated from another received signal ora low SNR of the communications channel corresponding to the highestpriority beam); and communicate (1528) to the first wirelesscommunications device a beam change signal indicating the first wirelesscommunications device should switch to using of a second beam forcommunications with the second wireless communications device, saidsecond beam being a different beam than said highest priority beam, saidsecond beam being either a beam having the next lowest priority or apreviously used beam.

Apparatus Embodiment 4 The second wireless communications device (1900)of Apparatus Embodiment 3, wherein said processor (1906) is furtherconfigured to: set (1530) a channel switch timer when the beam changesignal is sent to the first wireless communications device; monitor(1536) for the receipt of a signal from the first wirelesscommunications device on said second beam; and switch (1546) back to thehighest priority beam from said second beam in response to saidmonitoring failing to detect said signal from the first wirelesscommunications device on said second beam.

Apparatus Embodiment 5 The second wireless communications device (1900)of Apparatus Embodiment 4, wherein said signal from the first wirelesscommunications device on said second beam for which said monitoring isperformed is one of a beam change confirmation signal or a data signaldirected to the second wireless communications device.

Apparatus Embodiment 6 The second wireless communications device (1900)of Apparatus Embodiment 4, wherein said processor (1906) is furtherconfigured to: set (1532) a wideband beam switch timer when the beamchange signal is sent to the first wireless communications device;determine (1552) if, after setting of the of the wideband beam switchtimer, a signal from the first communications device has not beenreceived by expiration of the wideband beam switch timer; and inresponse to determining that, after setting of the wideband beam switchtimer, a signal from the wireless first communications device has notbeen received by expiration of the wideband beam switch timer, switch(1562) to monitoring a wideband beam for a signal from the firstwireless communications device indicating a beam which will be used bythe first wireless communications device to transmit to the secondwireless communications device.

Apparatus Embodiment 7 The second wireless communications device (1900)of Apparatus Embodiment 6, wherein said processor (1906) is furtherconfigured to: set (1534) a RRC timer when the beam change signal issent to the first wireless communications device; determine (1564) if,after setting of the RRC timer, a signal from the first wirelesscommunications device has not been received by expiration of the RRCtimer; and in response to determining that, after setting of the RRCtimer, a signal from the first communications device has not beenreceived by expiration of the RRC timer, send (1574) a radioreconnection request to the first wireless communications device.

Second Set of Exemplary Computer Readable Medium Embodiments

Computer Readable Medium Embodiment 1 A non-transitory computer readablemedium including computer executable instructions which when executed bya processor of a second wireless communications device in communicationswith a first wireless communications device, which uses multiple beamsfor transmission, cause the second wireless communications device toperform the steps of: receiving (1504) signals (e.g., pilot signals)from the first wireless communications device, said signals beingtransmitted by the first wireless communications device on a pluralitydifferent beams; generating (1506) for each of the different beams onwhich a signal is received, a channel quality indicator (e.g., CQI inthe form of an RSSI or SNR); prioritizing (1508) the beams; andtransmitting (1510) to the first wireless communications device beampriority information (e.g., a ranked list showing the second wirelesscommunications device's priority ordering of beams from which signalswere received).

Numerous variations and embodiments are possible.

For the network to maintain service to the user, changes in the bestbeam should be acknowledged between a UE (user equipment device) and BTS(base station transmitter system). If the changes in the preferred beamas indicated by a beam ID, as notified to the BS by the UE, are notacknowledged, the UE will likely expect the BTS to send the data on thenew beam while the BTS sends data on the old beam which the UE is nolonger listening to due to the UE switching to the new beam is signaledto the BS. This can result in a disruption to the synchronization ofbeam utilization between the BS and UE and loss of service to the UEsubject to such loss of beam synchronization.

Two approaches to improve handling of changes in the preferred beam,e.g., as indicated by a Beam ID, and preserving of service are describedbelow and in various places in the preceding description. The actuallabels for the timers and beams mentioned in the solutions below may bemodified at implementation. The Radio Unit (RU) in the base stationand/or UE may be an Active Antenna System (AAS) and have direct controlof the beam status in the link, e.g., which of a plurality of beams isused at a given time for transmit purposes.

One feature is directed to beam selection timing robustness. In oneexemplary embodiment link status is maintained by the introduction of aBeam ID list (or matrix) and a set of timers.

The approach may be, and sometimes is, implemented as follows:

-   -   1. Define a known Beam ID matrix (or list) in the BTS and UE        based on the previous beam changes in the connection and/or        other beam information.    -   2. Synchronize the Beam ID Matrix between BTS and UE by        communicating beam preference information at a defined        periodicity    -   3. Set a periodic Beam ID confirmation timer—t0 where (t0<RLC        timeout)    -   4. If the Beam change information is lost in the UL then,        -   1. operate the BTS to continue to send DL transmissions to            the UE on the last known preferred beam, as indicated by a            Beam ID, for a configurable time length—t1 (where T1 does            not exceed a RLC (Radio Layer Connection) timeout)        -   2. operate the UE to switch back to last known beam in use            for downlink transmission after not receiving a beam change            response from the BS within a given time frame t2 of the UE            initiating, e.g., signaling, a beam change (t2<t1, and            t2<RLC timeout)        -   3. If no new Beam ID has been received from UE after t0            expires, then BTS will move to the next most commonly used            beam ID, e.g., the next highest priority beam in the beam            list associated with the UE, based on Beam ID Matrix and            which beam was in use at the time communication with the UE            was lost        -   4. Within the same t0 expiry and if no beam ID information            has been exchanged between BTS and U, the UE will also            switch to next highest priority beam in the beam ID matrix        -   5. In some embodiments the process involves traversing the            Beam ID matrix provided the traversing is within the RLC            timeout bound until Beam selection is complete        -   6. If no beam ID is selected before the RLC timeout, then            the RLC timeout will occur resulting in a radio link failure            and the link reestablishment process will begin.

The process can be, and sometimes is, reversed when Uplink Beam formingis introduced on the CPE.

The above process can be used alone or in combination with an “anchorbeam” approach to facilitating beam synchronization.

In a second beam management approach which can be used alone or incombination with the first approach a wide beam referred to as an‘Anchor Beam’ is used to maintain synchronization when there are changesin which underlying narrow beam which is to be used. In this secondapproach a wide-angle “anchor” beam (A-Beam) is used that enables the UEand BTS to fall back and refer the link status and new Beam IDcommunicated on the anchor beam when the underlying beam changes gounacknowledged, e.g., due to a communication failure.

The solution requires both a HW implementation and underlying timersthat will be implemented in the SW.

In this second approach:

-   -   1. A wide angle anchor beam is used transmit from the same        device, e.g., using the same antenna used to transmit the        individual narrow beams and/or another antenna with a wider beam        pattern    -   2. The half power beam width of the anchor beam is greater than        the angle of the narrow beams used for normal data        communications and serves the area of multiple narrow beams        (e.g. if the beam width of a narrow beam is 50, then the wide        angle anchor beam would have a half power beam width of 450)        with the anchor beam effectively serving as a control channel        beam that allows the exchange of beam information    -   3. When changes to a serving beam are lost, e.g., due to a        failure to successfully communicate beam change information, and        no beam information is exchanged between UE and BTS (base        station transmission system) for a time indicated by a timer tb        (where tb<RLC Timeout) then:    -   4. The CPE will use the A-Beam to retrieve the new Beam ID from        the RU (or AAS)    -   5. If the beam change status is lost in the downlink for a time        period indicated by a timer tru (where tru<RLC timeout), then        the radio unit of the BTS will use the A-Beam to reestablish        synchronization with the UE (e.g., which may be a customer        premise equipment CPE), e.g., by specifying the beam to be used,        and communicate selection of the best beam to the CPE    -   6. If no beam ID is selected and communicated to the UE before        the RLC timeout, then the RLC timeout will occur resulting in a        radio link failure and the link reestablishment process will        begin.

The techniques of various embodiments may be implemented using software,hardware and/or a combination of software and hardware. Variousembodiments are directed to apparatus, e.g., wireless communicationsdevices such as base stations and user equipment devices, user devices,servers, customer premises equipment (CPE) devices, vehicles, cablesystems, network nodes, gateways, cable headend/hubsites, networkmonitoring node/servers, cluster controllers, cloud nodes, productionnodes, cloud services servers and/or network equipment devices. Variousembodiments are also directed to methods, e.g., method of controllingand/or operating wireless communications devices such as base stationsand UE devices, user devices, CPE devices, vehicles, gateways, servers,cable networks, cloud networks, nodes, servers, cloud service servers,customer premises equipment devices, controllers, network monitoringnodes/servers and/or cable or network equipment devices. Variousembodiments are also directed to machine, e.g., computer, readablemedium, e.g., ROM, RAM, CDs, hard discs, etc., which include machinereadable instructions for controlling a machine to implement one or moresteps of a method. The computer readable medium is, e.g., non-transitorycomputer readable medium.

It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in theprocesses and methods disclosed is an example of exemplary approaches.Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific orderor hierarchy of steps in the processes and methods may be rearrangedwhile remaining within the scope of the present disclosure. Theaccompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in asample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order orhierarchy presented. In some embodiments, one or more processors areused to carry out one or more steps of the each of the describedmethods.

In various embodiments each of the steps or elements of a method areimplemented using one or more processors. In some embodiments, each ofelements are steps are implemented using hardware circuitry.

In various embodiments nodes and/or elements described herein areimplemented using one or more components to perform the stepscorresponding to one or more methods, for example, message reception,signal processing, sending, comparing, determining and/or transmissionsteps. Thus, in some embodiments various features are implemented usingcomponents or in some embodiments logic such as for example logiccircuits. Such components may be implemented using software, hardware ora combination of software and hardware. Many of the above describedmethods or method steps can be implemented using machine executableinstructions, such as software, included in a machine readable mediumsuch as a memory device, e.g., RAM, floppy disk, etc. to control amachine, e.g., general purpose computer with or without additionalhardware, to implement all or portions of the above described methods,e.g., in one or more nodes. Accordingly, among other things, variousembodiments are directed to a machine-readable medium, e.g., anon-transitory computer readable medium, including machine executableinstructions for causing a machine, e.g., processor and associatedhardware, to perform one or more of the steps of the above-describedmethod(s). Some embodiments are directed to a device, e.g., acontroller, including a processor configured to implement one, multipleor all of the steps of one or more methods of the invention.

In some embodiments, the processor or processors, e.g., CPUs, of one ormore devices, e.g., communications nodes such as controllers areconfigured to perform the steps of the methods described as beingperformed by the communications nodes, e.g., controllers. Theconfiguration of the processor may be achieved by using one or morecomponents, e.g., software components, to control processorconfiguration and/or by including hardware in the processor, e.g.,hardware components, to perform the recited steps and/or controlprocessor configuration. Accordingly, some but not all embodiments aredirected to a device, e.g., communications node such as a clustercontroller including, with a processor which includes a componentcorresponding to each of the steps of the various described methodsperformed by the device in which the processor is included. In some butnot all embodiments a device, e.g., communications node such as acontroller, includes a controller corresponding to each of the steps ofthe various described methods performed by the device in which theprocessor is included. The components may be implemented using softwareand/or hardware.

Some embodiments are directed to a computer program product comprising acomputer-readable medium, e.g., a non-transitory computer-readablemedium, comprising code for causing a computer, or multiple computers,to implement various functions, steps, acts and/or operations, e.g. oneor more steps described above. Depending on the embodiment, the computerprogram product can, and sometimes does, include different code for eachstep to be performed. Thus, the computer program product may, andsometimes does, include code for each individual step of a method, e.g.,a method of controlling a controller or node. The code may be in theform of machine, e.g., computer, executable instructions stored on acomputer-readable medium, e.g., a non-transitory computer-readablemedium, such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory) orother type of storage device. In addition to being directed to acomputer program product, some embodiments are directed to a processorconfigured to implement one or more of the various functions, steps,acts and/or operations of one or more methods described above.Accordingly, some embodiments are directed to a processor, e.g., CPU,configured to implement some or all of the steps of the methodsdescribed herein. The processor may be for use in, e.g., acommunications device such as wireless communications device such as abase station or UE device, a controller or other device described in thepresent application. In some embodiments components are implemented ashardware devices in such embodiments the components are hardwarecomponents. In other embodiments components may be implemented assoftware, e.g., a set of processor or computer executable instructions.Depending on the embodiment the components may be all hardwarecomponents, all software components, a combination of hardware and/orsoftware or in some embodiments some components are hardware componentswhile other components are software components.

Numerous additional variations on the methods and apparatus of thevarious embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled inthe art in view of the above description. Such variations are to beconsidered within the scope. Numerous additional embodiments, within thescope of the present invention, will be apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art in view of the above description and the claims whichfollow. Such variations are to be considered within the scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a first wirelesscommunications device, the method comprising: transmitting to a secondwireless communications device using a highest priority beam; starting afirst beam confirmation timer; determining if the first beamconfirmation timer has expired without receipt of a signal having beenreceived from the second wireless communications device; and switchingto an alternative beam for transmissions to the second wirelesscommunications device when it is determined that the first beamconfirmation timer has expired without receipt of a signal from thesecond wireless communications device.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinthe beam to which the switch is made is one of a next priority beamindicated by first beam prioritization information or a beam previouslyused for communicating with the second communications device.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, further comprising: selecting which of a plurality ofpossible alternative beams to used based on a predetermined beamselection process known to the second wireless communications device. 4.The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring, followingstarting of the first beam confirmation timer, for receipt of saidsignal indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission to thesecond wireless communications device, said signal being one of a beamconfirmation signal from the second wireless communications device or abeam change signal from the second wireless communications device; andresponding to receipt of said signal indicating a transmitter beam to beused for transmission to the second wireless communications device byrestarting the first beam confirmation timer.
 5. The method of claim 4,wherein responding to receipt of said signal indicating a transmitterbeam to be use for transmission to the second wireless communicationsdevice further includes: performing one of: i) responding to detectionof a beam change signal from the second wireless communications deviceby switching to using the a new beam indicated in the received beamchange signal for transmissions to the second wireless communicationsdevice and transmitting to the second wireless communications deviceusing the new beam; or ii) responding to detection of a beamconfirmation signal from the second wireless communications device bycontinuing to use the beam indicated in the beam confirmation signal fortransmission to the second wireless communications device.
 6. The methodof claim 5, wherein responding to receipt of said signal indicating atransmitter beam to be use for transmission to the second wirelesscommunications device further includes: sending a beam acknowledgementsignal to the second wireless communications device confirmingsuccessful receipt of the signal indicating the beam to be used forcommunicating to the second wireless communications device.
 7. Themethod of claim 5, further comprising; starting a first transmitshutdown timer each time said first beam confirmation timer is started;determining if the first transmit shutdown timer has expired; andstopping data transmission to said second wireless communications deviceuntil establishment of a new radio connection with the second wirelesscommunications device.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:starting a first wideband beam signaling timer each time said first beamconfirmation timer is started; determining if the first widebandsignaling timer has expired; and in response the first widebandsignaling timer having expired, transmitting a beam identificationsignal to the second communications device using a wideband beam, saidbeam identification signal identifying a beam which will be used by thefirst wireless communications device to transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:following transmission of the beam identification signal to the secondwireless communications device, transmitting data to the second wirelesscommunications device on the beam identified by said beam identifiersignal.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said first beam confirmationtimer has a first duration Tc, said first beam shutdown timer has asecond duration Ts and where said first wideband beam signaling timerhas a third duration T_(wbi); and where T_(C)<T_(wbi)<T_(S).
 11. A firstwireless communications device, the first wireless communications devicecomprising: a processor configured to control the first wirelesscommunications device to: transmit to a second wireless communicationsdevice using a highest priority beam; start a first beam confirmationtimer; determine if the first beam confirmation timer has expiredwithout receipt of a signal having been received from the secondwireless communications device; and switch to an alternative beam fortransmissions to the second wireless communications device when it isdetermined that the first beam confirmation timer has expired withoutreceipt of a signal from the second wireless communications device. 12.The first wireless communications device of claim 11, wherein the beamto which the switch is made is one of a next priority beam indicated byfirst beam prioritization information or a beam previously used forcommunicating with the second communications device.
 13. The firstwireless communications device of claim 12, wherein said processor isfurther configured to: select which of a plurality of possiblealternative beams to use based on a predetermined beam selection processknown to the second wireless communications device.
 14. The firstwireless communications device of claim 13, wherein said first processoris further configured to: monitor, following starting of the first beamconfirmation timer, for receipt of said signal indicating a transmitterbeam to be used for transmission to the second wireless communicationsdevice, said signal being one of a beam confirmation signal from thesecond wireless communications device or a beam change signal from thesecond wireless communications device; and respond to receipt of saidsignal indicating a transmitter beam to be used for transmission to thesecond wireless communications device by restarting the first beamconfirmation timer.
 15. The first wireless communications device ofclaim 14, said processor is configured to control the first wirelesscommunications device to perform one of: i) responding to detection of abeam change signal from the second wireless communications device byswitching to using the a new beam indicated in the received beam changesignal for transmissions to the second wireless communications deviceand transmitting to the second wireless communications device using thenew beam; or ii) responding to detection of a beam confirmation signalfrom the second wireless communications device by continuing to use thebeam indicated in the beam confirmation signal for transmission to thesecond wireless communications device, as part of being configured torespond to receipt of said signal indicating a transmitter beam to beuse for transmission to the second wireless communications device. 16.The first wireless communications device of claim 15, wherein saidprocessor is configured to: send a beam acknowledgement signal to thesecond wireless communications device confirming successful receipt ofthe signal indicating the beam to be used for communicating to thesecond wireless communications device, as part of being configured torespond to receipt of said signal indicating a transmitter beam to beuse for transmission to the second wireless communications device. 17.The first wireless communications device of claim 15, wherein saidprocessor is further configured to: start a first transmit shutdowntimer each time said first beam confirmation timer is started; determineif the first transmit shutdown timer has expired; and stop datatransmission to said second wireless communications device untilestablishment of a new radio connection with the second wirelesscommunications device.
 18. The first wireless communications device ofclaim 17, wherein said processor is further configured to: start a firstwideband beam signaling timer each time said first beam confirmationtimer is started; determine if the first wideband signaling timer hasexpired; and in response the first wideband signaling timer havingexpired, control said transmitter to transmit a beam identificationsignal to the second communications device using a wideband beam, saidbeam identification signal identifying a beam which will be used by thefirst wireless communications device to transmit to the second wirelesscommunications device.
 19. The first wireless communications device ofclaim 18, wherein said processor is further configured to: control saidtransmitter to transmit, following transmission of the beamidentification signal to the second wireless communications device, datato the second wireless communications device on the beam identified bysaid beam identifier signal.
 20. A non-transitory computer readablemedium including computer executable instructions which when executed bya processor of a first wireless communications device cause the firstwireless communications device to perform the steps of: transmitting toa second wireless communications device using a highest priority beam;starting a first beam confirmation timer; determining if the first beamconfirmation timer has expired without receipt of a signal having beenreceived from the second wireless communications device; and switchingto an alternative beam for transmissions to the second wirelesscommunications device when it is determined that the first beamconfirmation timer has expired without receipt of a signal from thesecond wireless communications device.